We tend to think of a physical diet much more often than a mental diet, despite the fact that the latter is more important. Why? If you clear your brain of debris, you will be able to make better decisions, including in the area of healthy lifestyle.
Basically, your thoughts are brain food. Mental detoxification consists of limiting thoughts that generate negative emotions and replacing them with those that lead to feelings of peace and tranquility.
The way our bodies work is based on the nutrition we put into them. The mind is no different in this regard. Everything in our life is conditioned by habitual thinking. What you thought in the past has brought you to where you are now.
The diet is as follows: for seven days, you will carefully select your thoughts. You will also refrain from negative thoughts, even if you really want to and there will be many reasons. If you're up for the challenge, read on.
Three rules
To challenge yourself to the 7-day challenge, you must follow three rules.
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Rule one
For seven days, you should not live with negative thoughts and emotions. These include the following:
Thoughts that make you angry or upset.
Thoughts that make you jealous.
Thoughts that make you feel stressed or anxious.
Thoughts that make you feel inferior or insecure.
Thoughts that make you feel sad and desperate.
Negative thoughts about yourself, someone, or the circumstances in which you find yourself.
Thoughts that fill you with regrets about the past or fears about the future.
Negative thinking is when you live with thoughts of failure, disappointment, or trouble; any critical or zealous thought, anger and condemnation of others or yourself, or any thought of illness and accident. Simply put, it is any limitation or pessimistic thinking.
Note that the rule is not that you cannot have negative thoughts and emotions, but that you will not live them. You can rarely control the first thought that comes to your head. But you can control the second, third, and so on.
Second rule
When you catch yourself having negative thoughts, you will instantly turn your attention to something else. You can do one of the following:
Tell yourself "Stop" to interrupt the cycle.
Recognize that you have negative thoughts and then let them drift through your mind like clouds moving across the sky. Just let them float.
Get distracted by something else. You can read, exercise, work on an intellectual challenge, take a walk with an upbeat friend, play music, or sing.
Change your perspective. Ask yourself, "Is it true?" And "Is there any other way to interpret this?"
Switch to problem solving mode. If negative thoughts appear, take the necessary action to correct the cause.
Find five positives for each situation.
Rule three
Don't beat yourself up if you can't quickly switch your thoughts to something else and become obsessed with the negative. Try to shift your focus to more powerful, positive thoughts. Remember that when it comes to changing a habit, your brain will manipulate you. This is normal. He will deceive you and create illusions. All this is worth considering.
Four tips
Here are tips to help you finish your mental detox successfully in 7 days.
Set intent
Begin each morning by establishing an intention to manage your negative thoughts throughout the day. Speak, or better, write down the following every morning:
Today I will be closely watching what I think about.
Today I will only admit useful thoughts.
Today I will challenge the negative thoughts I will have and replace them with positive ones.
Today, when I start to worry about a problem, I immediately turn my attention to finding a solution.
Meditate
Meditation will allow you to separate your attention from your thoughts. When observing your thoughts, you can ask the following questions:
Are these thoughts correct?
Are these thoughts helpful to me?
Have I deliberately chosen these thoughts?
What thoughts fill my mind with peace and joy?
Use affirmations
Tell yourself the following:
I can consciously choose what I think.
My thoughts do not control me. It is I who control my thoughts.
I can change what I think about at any time.
I can always choose different thoughts.
I choose thoughts that serve me.
I train my brain to take a different direction when negative thoughts enter my head.
I may not be able to control the first thought that comes to my mind, but I can control the second.
I am slowly reprogramming my brain to think more positively.
Fill Your Mind With Positive
Another great way to see noticeable success this week is to spend one to five minutes each morning reading or watching something inspiring or motivational. This can include:
Reading inspirational quotes.
Watching a motivational video on Youtube.
Listening to a podcast.
If you are religious, then read the Bible or other sacred text.
Challenge yourself. This does not require any equipment and preparations, just desire and awareness. You will see the first results in a few days and you will understand that it is worth watching your thoughts for more than one week, but for the rest of the time.