“Every thought we think, every feeling we have, every word we speak goes out into the atmosphere to either heal or harm. Let us be healers. Let us be harmless”.
Price, John R. Practical Spirituality.
Why is it easier to entertain negative thoughts in our head than positive thoughts? Have you ever wonder about this, and why is it important that you understand to know this? But most of all how can we fix the problem?
What Is Your Thought Default Settings
I’m sure you know how computers have default settings, right? For example, if your computer is set by default to open with a Google home page or a Yahoo home page that’s how it’s going to open to every time. In order to change such home page default, you need to change the settings.
A computer is a machine, but so is our brain. If our brain is set to a negative thinking default system, so to speak, that’s what it will produce. Unfortunately, most people have a negative thinking default. Observe yourself and people around you, and you’ll see how this is so.
Are you someone quick into seeing something insignificant into a negative thing? Are you someone quick to criticize others without giving them the benefit of the doubt? Do you have a tendency to criticize people, gossip about them, as soon as they have their back turned? Are you thinking the worst most of the time? Are negative images going through your brain on a daily basis? Are you pessimistic a lot?
If you are familiar with any of the above, you can conclude that your mindset is rather on a negative default incline.
This doesn’t make you a bad person, or less worthy than someone who is positive, but it’s a tell tale sign that you’ve got some work to do if you want to become the person you really want to be, and if you want your way of life to improve.
Why Does it Seem More Difficult to Entertain Positive Thoughts than Negative ones?
You might not be aware of this, but just like physical exercise, mental exercise requires efforts. Even those who may actually like to exercise would tell you that they still have to make the “effort” to get up and go.
Once they are at the gym or on that trail, they’re glad they made the effort and feel good about it, but first, they had to make the effort. Effort is always hard for both the mind and the body. That’s why it’s called effort in the first place.
To push ourselves into thinking a certain way rather than our “default way” also requires efforts. It’s a mental exercise and that can be hard to do, because our brain, just like our body can be lazy and resist such effort.
Because of the combination of both our negative thinking default setting and our mental laziness it’s not always easy to create positive thoughts in our head. This is the main reason why it’s easier to entertain negative thoughts than positive thoughts.
So, what can you do to change that?
Become Aware of your Thoughts
Do you know that most people out there think by default MOST of the time, meaning that they are almost never aware of what they’re thinking about, and therefore, not aware of the negativity that is constantly brewing in their mind?
They are so entrench into negative thinking that is part of their life, and they don’t know how to think otherwise. As a matter of fact, once they are told to start the exercise of thinking good positive thoughts they feel weird. It feels so foreign to them.
Now, don’t think that this affects only poor and unsuccessful people, far from it. This negative thinking by default affects everyone and anyone, wealthy and successful people as well. As a matter of fact, I know of a lot of “successful people” who are very much affected by this as well. Sometimes, even more so than people who may not seem as fortunate as they are.
So, regardless of you background and how much money in the bank you may or may not have, how much of a career you may or may not have, start watching your thoughts. Become aware of what you’re thinking. Stop the default button and start the manual button. First, realize what’s going on in your head and then make a conscious decision about what to do with it.
Do Some House Cleaning
Most likely if you are what we would call a “normal” person, you like your house to be clean and without clutter. You like your body to be clean and look good and presentable. But what about what’s going on in your head? How is it? Is it clean, neat and in order? Or is it really messy and needs some serious cleaning?
I’m not saying that you’re some kind of pervert here. No, I’m talking about the mental clutter that prevents us from being fully happy.
I’m not talking about rich and wealthy here – as I mentioned above, many of such people still have a very crowed and messy mind. I am talking about cleaning up the mess that clutters you mind and prevents true happiness to come in.
Is what’s going on in your mind preventing you from being fully happy?
Become aware of the clutter in your head, and start getting rid of it by switching from a negative thought to a positive one. To start, just take one a the time.
Exercise your Brain to Think Positive
As I mentioned above, it’s not easy to make the brain “think a certain way”, because it creates an effort. As we’ve seen above, mental effort is as hard as a physical effort, and this is where the challenge lies.
If you’ve never ran before, the first few times you are going to make yourself run it’s going to hurt. If you’ve never lift weights before, the first few times you are going to lift weights it’s going to hurt. Even a couple of days later your muscles may still be sore from the effort you’ve made of lifting weights.
However, after a while as it becomes natural for your body the hurt will subside and a better condition and muscles shapes will take place instead.
It’s the same thing with your brain. At the beginning it will be a challenge and you may even feel some mental fatigue as you are “forcing” positive thoughts to go through your mind. As I mentioned above, if this is very new to you, you might even feel strange about it – unnatural for a while.
But just as physical exercise, the more you’ll practice, the easier it will become, and if you keep doing it, you can and you will replace your negative thinking programming into a positive one.
Just remember, as anything else, it takes practice. And practice is what makes perfect.
Glad to see your are incorporating video into your blog posts! It takes more energy to think negatively than positively yet that’s what many people do. I liked your point that you need to practice thinking positve thoughts.
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Hi Toni,
I’m glad you like the video.
As a matter of fact, it’s the other way around, it takes more energy for most people to have positive thoughts, that’s why negative thinking is so spread about and thus the need for this post.
Thanks for coming.
As I was reading your post Sylviane I had to take a moment and think back to the way I was raised and try to remember if my parents talked more negatively then positively.
They didn’t really talk negatively but of course we all know that from the way they are raised their beliefs are a certain way about money doesn’t grow on trees, we can’t afford that, etc. They never pumped me up saying I could do anything but they never told me I couldn’t either. Things like that were just never discussed or brought up in our household.
My Dad was irresponsible with money and Mom was the one that saved. Had it not been for her she wouldn’t have what she does now so I see why her thoughts were that way but unfortunately she didn’t teach us those things. That was left to the school system ya know.
Of course since I’ve gotten older I’m more aware of the fact that I am my thoughts so after numerous things I’ve been through in my own life I felt it was a time to change. You’re right, everything takes practice but it can be done. It wasn’t easy to get all that negative self talk from my brain but it’s possible.
Wonderful topic as always Sylviane and I do hope that those who would really like to do better will take what you’ve shared to heart and start making those changes as well. They’ll be much better off having done that.
Hope you’re enjoying your week.
~Adrienne
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Hi Adrienne,
Yes, I know what you mean. My mother never told me that I couldn’t do something, but she never told me that I could do anything either. But she backed me up 100% for what I wanted to do.
What can you do? We can’t blame our parents because they had so little to go on. There wasn’t the amount of information we have now back then.
I’m glad your mom saved the money and wasn’t equally irresponsible with it as you dad was. It’s a good thing they complemented each other.
Thanks for your support as always 🙂
Hi Sylviane,
I was just reading your reply to Adrienne’s comment and realized my Mom was somewhere like yours or perhaps most moms are like that, but she did encourage back back me totally where she felt strongly about things I could do, sometimes even when I didn’t think I could. She was the force behind as they say – to turn my negative mind to positive too.
I think most of us get negative thoughts with ease, and in-fact they are the first ones to be honest that come to mind, but that’s what shouldn’t happen. And as you mentioned, with practice we can get away with those, and turn them to the positive ones which we all want.
Thanks for sharing. Have a nice day ahead 🙂
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Hi Harleena,
Yes, my mom was like that. She never said you can do EVERYTHING you want, because she didn’t “believe” that to even be possible, but she pushed me to do whatever I wanted to do,and was behind me all the way. My mom was great that way.
Yes, the first thing that comes to mind is usually negative. As long as we at least catch it and correct it that’s more than most people do.
Thanks for coming, Harleena and have a great weekend!
Sylviane Nuccio invites you to read..Why Is It Easier To Entertain Negative Thoughts Than Positive Thoughts
I am no stranger to negative thinking. In fact, everyday I literally practice saying, “I am”…. (something positive) just to change my mindset. To my surprise, I’m seeing some good results because of it. I realize that not only did I think negative, but I was more of a negative person. “You are what you think”.
Hi Saytue and nice seeing you here.
I’m so glad that you became aware of your negative thoughts and changed things around.
Keep up the good work, girl!
Thanks for coming by.
Sylviane Nuccio invites you to read..Why Is It Easier To Entertain Negative Thoughts Than Positive Thoughts
I am very aware of the fact that negative thoughts are very perverted in a way. They do not allow me to have a clear mind about people that I encounter and this prevents me from focusing my attention more rather than on other people. I loathe them and I do hope that trainging my mind will soon depart them.
Hi Simona,
Yes, become aware of them and chase them away. That’s a practice and it can become a habit (a good one). Let me know how it goes.
Thanks for coming by.
Sylviane Nuccio invites you to read..Why Is It Easier To Entertain Negative Thoughts Than Positive Thoughts
Hi Sylviane,
Great post as always and I loved seeing you on the video Sylviane. You touched on a subject we all tend to suffer from. I admit that I tend to think more negatively than positively and I need lots of practice to do to get away from those negative thoughts that haunt my mind and it just doesn’t let us enjoy life as it is.
I have my daughter who will be leaving to University in September and of course it is her first time to leave home and the family and OMG, all I think about is negative thoughts although I know how I raised her and I know she is a disciplined kid but still.
Thanks though for mentioning that with practice we can overcome those thoughts and start thinking positively even if it will take energy, it is worth it to change as Life is only lived once.
Thanks Sylviane for sharing and enjoy your weekend.
Be Blessed,
Neamat
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Hi Neamat, and sorry for this late response.
I understand what you mean about your daughter. A lot of times worries will translate in lots of dark thoughts that we seem to be totally drowning under. This of course is the price we pay for living in a negative society where bad things do happen. I so get that.
However, we need to remember that thoughts are powerful and have the power to “attract”, so we don’t want to have them overpower us until we bring about negative stuff in our live because of the low vibrations that negative thoughts release in us.
Try to test yourself and replace any negative images you have about your daughter going to the University by a positive image. This takes a split second. And, yes, we have a choice.
Sylviane Nuccio invites you to read..Why Is It Easier To Entertain Negative Thoughts Than Positive Thoughts
Hi Sylviane,
This is such a necessary subject to pay attention to.
You are so right – our default “thinking” is usually set to negative. It has to do with believing what society (a collection of mind-related ideas based on fear, judgment, opinions and beliefs) tells us to think. Who ever realized we were allowed to question our thoughts? Well, we are and magical things happen when we do.
You bring up exercise and it’s a perfect example. We have to train our thoughts the way we train our bodies in order to make changes. Just like we build muscles in the body that may have been dormant for some time, the brain has neurotransmitters that need to be activated to new thoughts while the old ones that responded to negative thoughts have to stop being fed.
So while building the new muscle tissue takes some time and repetition, so do the brain’s neurotransmitters in response to different thought commands.
The process can be a bit painful at first because we’re replacing one energetic component with another and the two don’t co-exist together – (sound familiar?)
Hehe 😉
Exercise is the same. You are telling the body to be strong when it’s used to being weak.
I love stuff like this. I’ll be hanging out here…LOL
Great post!
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Hi Dana,
Yes, those negative thoughts come from the way our society works, and it’s usually encouraged by the media that loves to concentrate on such worldwide negativity.
Working with the mind can totally be compared with working with the body. At first it’s uncomfortable at best, but it will makes us feel better, and yes, stronger.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
Sylviane Nuccio invites you to read..Why Is It Easier To Entertain Negative Thoughts Than Positive Thoughts
Hi Sylviane
I try very hard to get rid of the negative thoughts. Sometimes I am deep in it and think “get up and walk away from these thoughts”…they are just no fun at all.
I am glad I no longer working around negative people as it was very draining. I think people that are so critical of others, are actually lacking in their own lives. When I realize that I cannot control others and it really doesn’t affect me in anyway if they are being stupid, it no longer becomes my problem. They are not worth any negative thoughts. I try to remain neutral, as it gives no power or energy to what I see.
When others talk negative I try to not give them fuel of response, it is just easier that way. I need to focus on the positive. It would have been great if we were raised with positive thoughts and the ability to understand happiness is what we feel inside not material things or other people. What a happier, calmer society we would have.
Excellent thoughts on the subject.
Mary
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Hi Mary, and nice to see you here.
I know those negative people can be really draining at worst and very annoying at best. That’s why we need to flee from them.
I know some people who are ALWAYS looking at the negative side of things, no matter what. They’ll find something
I’ve been around some people who totally sapped my morale by destroying my positive thinking about things I was happy about. These are things you never forget and you need to stay away from this type of people. I’m glad you did.
As I learned a long time ago, it doesn’t cost anything to think positive, so let’s do it, we have nothing to lose.
Sylviane Nuccio invites you to read..Why Is It Easier To Entertain Negative Thoughts Than Positive Thoughts
Hey Sylviane,
You said it all when you mentioned that mental exercise is just as hard as physical exercise.
We do have to be honest with our self and realize it is easier to talk negative than positive. I notice that all the time. Our “default” brain does go to the negative for reasons that can go way back into our childhood.
Yes, awareness is the first thing we need to do. I’ve went through exercises like this and realized that when I thought of a negative thought a little imaginary red flag went up in my head. Then I catch myself to a positive thought. It works so well.
I still practice it because I guess it is my “default” thinking, but it is something to work on constantly.
Great post Sylviane!
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Hi Donna,
Well, we are still working on this don’t we? Very few people have grown up in an all positive environment. However, when one does, it makes a difference. I know of someone who was lucky enough to grow up in a rather positive environment and things have almost gone great with him his whole life. And even when it didn’t he always, always kept positive. Nothing seems to bring him down.
So, for those of us, who haven’t grown up in such positive environment it’s very important that we change that programming and yes, it does work.
Thanks for your input, Donna.
Sylviane Nuccio invites you to read..5 Fundamental Things You Need To Do To Be Truly Successful
Attracting positive vibes is never impossible despite how many misfortunes we may have gone. It is just a matter of attitude that should be learned and master.
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Hi Alexis,
Yes, that’s correct. Nothing is impossible, no matter what we’ve gone through. The past doesn’t dictate our future if we don’t let it.
Thanks for coming.
Sylviane Nuccio invites you to read..5 Fundamental Things You Need To Do To Be Truly Successful
Since I’m also a computer techician I like the analogy you used about using the default settings on your computer 🙂
This reminds me of getting in balance. Right now Im taking yoga class and we do all types of exercises. for about 10 minutes within the class we do a bunch of balancing exercises. This is definitely a mindset you have to develop in order to balance yourself on one leg. So far it’s difficult but yet I see it’s possible to do because I see other people doing these different exercizes.
So in the case of balancing in yoga class, by default I think that it’s a difficult task to do, but on the contrary, I see that it’s possible since I see other people doing it. In order to get to the mindset I have to really believe 100%, and once I believe, then it’ll just come naturally.
The same with negative and positive thinking. As you said, once you put in the effort to clear out the clutter and starting thinking positive, it’ll be second nature to you!
Thanks for sharing Sylviane!
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Hi Sherman,
I like your example here. We see something that we don’t see every day and our default thinking is that it’s difficult to do, even though we might consciously know that we can do it with practice if others are doing it to.
When people find out that I speak 3 languages, the first thing I hear is, I could never learned another language. Oh! Why not? Don’t’ you have a brain like I do? Here goes the negative thinking again, right?
Thank you for coming and all the best to you with your yoga.
Sylviane Nuccio invites you to read..5 Fundamental Things You Need To Do To Be Truly Successful
Thinking negative thoughts can bring you down. I have tried to go through life thinking positive thoughts. You hear all the time, be careful what you wish for as it just may come true. My husband can’t understand why I see everything in a positive light. It takes a lot of energy listening to his negative thoughts. I remember when I was a kid my parents kept telling me I think I am Polyanna because I look at life in a positive manner. Negativity can bring you down.
Hi Arleen, and welcome here.
That’s a great gift you have here. Most people do not think positively naturally. It must be tough at times for you if your husband is no like you in this regard. I am sure that you’re helping him, though.
Thanks for sharing this.
Sylviane Nuccio invites you to read..5 Fundamental Things You Need To Do To Be Truly Successful
Although I sometimes experience negative thoughts, I usually go through life with a positive attitude. It makes it easier. This was a really interesting article, thank you for sharing it with us.
I couldn’t refrain from commenting. Perfectly written!