“Life is 10% of what happens to me and 90% of how I react to it.”
– Sir John Maxwell of Terregles, Lord Herries. 1512-1583
Changing your bias (Negativity to Positivity)
Considering positives in life, as opposed to the negatives, is easier said than done for some. This is especially true for those suffering from depression. Fortunately, research has shown that it is possible to retrain your thought processes to follow a more positive-bias path using a technique called cognitive therapy (sometimes known as positive-reinforcement). The following steps were adapted from a variety of research findings.
There are four steps: Awareness, Ownership, Management, Implementation
Awareness – Become aware of the thought bias
Somewhere along the thought process path, we move from unconscious thoughts to conscious thinking. It is at this point when you become aware of the thought itself. The state of awareness allows you to determine if the thought is positive/negative.
Ownership – You own the thought and it’s bias
Taking ownership of your thought is simply accepting that it is your own and that it has either a positive or a negative bias. There is no judgement, simply acceptance that you own it.
Management – Managing the thought bias
Management thought bias includes these three steps:
– Control: Make a decision to change the thought(s)
– Plan: Decide how to change the thought to something positive
– Measure: Evaluate whether or not the “changed thought” is positive/negative. If it is not positive, go back to the planning phase.
Implementing – Implement the new/changed thought bias
There are many ways implement the new/changed thought so that it becomes the way your mind things. The most important thing to do is to repeat the new thought over and over again. Repetition trains your brain to become instinctively familiar to your brain with the thought.
Here are some ways to do that:
– Write it down and read it in your head several times
– Read it out loud several times
– Close your eyes and repeat it out loud to yourself
– Post your new thought where you’ll see it often
– Each time you see the note, read it out loud to yourself
– Say your new/changed thought to others (“I was thinking…”)
Sometimes, new/changed thoughts can be difficult to implement, even when your desire is high to do so. So using these reinforcing techniques is important to your success. This reinforcement is done by performing all of the above steps many times over the course of several days or even several weeks.
If you commonly have negative thoughts, schedule time throughout the day to perform this exercise on the most damaging thoughts you’ve had that day. Then repeat your positive thoughts at the end of each day. As you practice this process, over and over again, with various thoughts, it will become easier because you are successfully retraining your thought process bias.