Hard to distinguish negative thought.

missgsr · Post by **missgsr** » Mon Dec 22, 2008 4:53 am

I'm having a hard time distinguishing my negative thoughts. I feel like I have more negative "feelings" than "thoughts" but I know that negative feelings COME from negative thoughts. I'm just having a hard time figuring out what the negative thought is. Could it just be "I'm feeling anxious?" Is that considered a negative thought?

epa · Post by **epa** » Mon Dec 22, 2008 5:14 am

Hi Missgsr-That's a great question. I have the same problem distinquishing the feelings from the thoughts and thus have had a hard time writing them down.

I hope there is someone who can clear this up!
Anya

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Mon Dec 22, 2008 6:34 am

I had the same problem many years ago when I did a similiar program called Terrap. I realized I could not distinguish the feelings from the thoughts, so I decided to work on positive self talk all the time. There was not a moment when I would talk to myself, and all the time it was in a positive manner. I had small sayings, some proverbs stuff like that, I would repeat to myself constantly. Then I wore a rubberband on my wrist and whenever I felt the "what if " thoughts come to my mind, I would snap the rubber band and go directly to positive self talk. It takes time and practice, but once I was more able to talk positively to myself, I noticed the anxiety was going away. I always thought it was a feeling, not a thought process that caused the feeling. Also the breathing and imagry helped, It takes time, but it does work. I am living proof.there was a time I could not go out of my house, now I fly and travel everywhere myself. Good luck and keep practicing. You are worth the effort.

Linda

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Mon Dec 22, 2008 7:22 am

Thank you for the incredibly uplifting encouragement, linny. Sometimes I fear I will never be able to do the simple things I was once able to do but it renews my faith in myself when I hear people like you tell their stories. If there are people out there who couldn't even leave their house and now they're traveling, dangit, I will be able to do it too someday! I just have to keep the faith!

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Mon Dec 22, 2008 7:45 am

missgsr,
Good question you pose - which comes first the thought or the feeling? I know that we are taught that feelings come from thoughts, but sometimes it is so hard to figure out what the thought is...I have been surprised through this program, that sometimes when I am not even working on a particular issue, I will realize where a negative thought came from. I guess what I am getting at is this - if we can just get our mind off our thoughts and feelings, we can actually move forward. If you are like me, we tend to over analyze ourselves to the point that we get stuck. Try to get busy or distracted with something else and perhaps you'll find that you are actually enjoying something. Every little victory helps!