How to Change Negative Thinking in 30 Seconds

Featured image full width Audio post

Life Happens

  • One of your most important clients just canceled a big deal you were counting on.
  • The lockdown due to COVID has just been extended. And you’re stuck at home. Again.
  • You just said the “wrong” word that escalated to another fight with your partner.

How Do You React in These Situations?

If you're like most people, your mind is immediately filled with negativity:

  • "Maybe my business is just a fantasy";
  • "Why can't I just get a break?" or...
  • "Maybe there's something wrong with me."

Neuroscience has a name for this automatic habit of the brain:

"Negativity Bias"

Our brain is wired to focus on negativity, which served us well when we were living in caves, running after small, furry animals and away from big, toothy animals.

Today, however, this automatic habit causes you to react to a harsh email, a difficult conversation or a flight cancelation as if...

Your Life is in Danger...

This activates an overflow of stress hormones and leaves you obsessed with potential threats, unable to see the bigger picture.

When you lose a deal, when you have a fight with your partner, or when you face the hundreds of other daily disappointments in life, you are wired to forget all the good things and to instead focus completely on the negative.

But It Doesn’t Have to Be that Way

How can you reverse this hard-wired habit of the mind?

With a simple, 3-step, 30-second process:


  1. Notice your negative bias

    The first step is to notice when you slip into anger, doubt, worry, anxiety, or fear. 

    Catch yourself when your mind starts inventing worst-case scenarios.

  2. Shift to a moment of gratitude

    The second step is to think of one thing you're grateful for right now.
    Your health. Your family. Your home. Your work. Your talents. Your strengths...
  3. Focus on what you want (not on what you don’t want)

    The third step is to focus on one goal you have.
    
Any exciting goal (short term or long term) would do.

    Then spend 15 seconds visualizing yourself already achieved this goal.
    Enjoy the feelings of accomplishment and success.

The Best Thing About This Practice...

  • It takes less than 30 seconds;
  • You can do it anytime, anywhere; and
  • You will begin to experience an immediate shift in your mindset.

The Moment You Make This Shift, Everything Changes

You remember your purpose, you look forward to new challenges, and you are ready to face life with optimism and excitement.

Try it once a day, every day for a week, and see what happens.

You can even be prepared for the next time your brain goes into a negative spiral, by preparing 3 goals that would excite you:

  1. Easy goal - you are certain to accomplish today
  2. Medium goal - to be completed within 7 days
  3. Long term goal - to become a reality in the next 12 months

Here Are Our Premeditated Goals:

Nisandeh:

  1. For today, I’m gonna cook a new dish, I’ve never cooked before.
  2. By the end of this week, my new website will be online.
  3. By the end of this year, I have created 10 beautiful, edible, sustainable, tailor-made gardens.

Vered:

  1. For today, I finished cleaning the aviary and fed the birds.
  2. By the end of this week, I wrote chapter 10 of my novel.
  3. By the end of this year, I have a literary agent to represent me and my work.

Now It’s Your Turn

Let us know in the comment box below, what are your 3 goals, the easy, medium and long term...

We can’t wait to read your goals and get inspired.

And until then...

Live fully, stay awesome…

Vered & Nisandeh Neta

If you find this article valuable... please take a moment to share it with your online connections...


  • Eduard Bosch says:

    1. Today I am approaching all individuals I encounter with a positive vibe.
    2. By the ens of this week I have helped at least 3 individuals with (a) struggle (s) in their live (s).
    3. By the end of this year, I have 9 customers, who happily pay €199 monthly for my advice, guidance and support.

  • Today I want to organize my dropbox better.

    At the end of the week I want to finish a letter to my clients, in connection with the income tax return, and to provide them with a checklist.

    At the end of the year I like to earn more money with online work.

  • Today I receive an order for my jewelry.
    This week I get a message: someone is buying large sculptures from my art collection for the park.
    This year my designs are sold in many other countries in good museums and galleries.

    • Vered Neta says:

      Thanks for sharing your goals Ineke.

      However, if I may, the idea for the goal of today is that you are certain it would take place. Receiving an order is not something that is in your power, it is totally depended on someone else, even if they said they would do it, you have no control over it.

      Have a look what can you put for yourself as a goal for today that is TOTALLY in your power to control it.

  • Audrey Van Der Linde says:

    Today: finish the assessment needed for the workshop Assessment Interpretation this week
    This week: finish my Lean Yellow Belt
    This year; …. this is weird, I can’t figure out my goal for this year other than being happy 🙂

    • Vered Neta says:

      Thanks for sharing Audrey.
      Think what HAPPY means for you. What kind of PHYSICAL SYMBOL would you like to achieve that would represent for you that you’re happy

  • Claudia Benmesahel-Kruidbos says:

    Work on my to do list and finish it today and make an not to do list. Be grateful for 10 things.
    By the end of this week finish the control of year 2017 in the book I am writing.
    By the end of the year set up a new program for my other company.

  • Barry van den Berg says:

    Wash the camper today, next week chopped all the wood I need for next winter, end of the year have everything done for our journey to the Balkan.

  • Japke Englebert says:

    Today I paint the side of the stairs, By the end of this week I have a blue print for my on line course, by the end of the year I have Daily Paid coaching walks with clients

  • Peter van Minnen says:

    Today: prepare our Golive schedule
    This week: go live with phase-1 (goods receipts) using barcode scanning
    This year: implement phase-2 (outbound scanning) and find three more customers for microWMS

  • Just what I needed, this!

    My goal for today:
    Finishing 2 important phone calls (helping people I love, creating an income for myself, AND knowing that it’s so good for those people I call too! makes me super happy)

    My goal for this week:
    finishing my introduction for the book so that it is ready for publication (and a ton of other goals too)

    My goal for this year: I appeared in one of the biggest magazines in the US.

  • {"email":"Email address invalid","url":"Website address invalid","required":"Required field missing"}
    >