Pessimistic thoughts can often invade our minds, leaving us feeling stuck, disempowered, and hopeless. However, we actually have the power to reframe our negative thoughts, release bottled-up resentment, and choose a new empowering story, if we choose to. Through my training as a coach, teamed with my knowledge from psychology, I have come to identify three tools for stopping pessimistic thoughts in their tracks.

Lighting the Shadows

The first tool to stop pessimistic thoughts is awareness – simply to become aware of them. It is important to explore where the pessimistic thought or resentment comes from, what it truly relates to, and how it shows up in our life. Identify whether it is present in just one area of our life or more, and under which circumstances it gets triggered. Accepting that you can’t numb negative feelings selectively will free yo to become aware of their reach. You can’t get truly happy until you feel the pain too. Anything we try to keep under the surface will always blow up to the surface at some point. Awareness is key to letting it go.

Some of the tools I use to help with this step: Spiral of life, values elicitation, pillars of life, positivity resonance assessment, Power Types profile, and trigger tracking are useful tools to increase self-awareness and identify the root cause of negative emotions.

Best Life Story

The second tool to stop pessimistic thoughts is to explore the fundamental questions at the core of everything we do and everything we are. This will expand our perspective and resilience, opening up new possibilities. We need to explore the purpose of adversity and find a story that feels more empowering. It’s time to rewrite a more constructive story, a story of responsibility and choice.

Some of the tools I use to help with this step: Positive reframing, powerful stories, VIA strengths, Seligman’s PERMA model, interventions to increase Positive Emotions & Positivity Resonance, gratitude, journaling, and research on life and work meaning are useful tools for exploring the purpose of adversity and reframing our story.

Love Thyself

The third tool to stop pessimistic thoughts is to adopt a new way of treating ourselves. The inner critic has a function for our safety but needs to be put in its right place. We need to explore the narrative about ourselves, challenge the destructive bits, and adopt a new way of treating ourselves. Love does not come from external validation or merging with others. It first has to come from an inner unconditional love and radical acceptance, regardless of whatever goes on outside of us.

Some of the tools I use to help with this step: Balance Mother & Lover Power Types, Power Type Release Meditation, Self-Parenting, and Queen Power Type are useful tools to adopt a new way of treating ourselves and become the Queen of Boundaries.

Pessimistic thoughts can leave us feeling stuck, disempowered, and hopeless. However, we have the power to reframe our negative thoughts, release bottled-up resentment, and choose a new empowering story. To use my tools mentioned reach out for a call and stop pessimistic thoughts in their tracks, take courageous action, and make progress towards living our best life.