10 Ways to Begin Taking Control with Positive Thinking.

10 Ways to Begin Taking Control with Positive Thinking.

When first considering ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder) you would not think to combat it with positive thinking. But for many with ADD, having negative thoughts is not uncommon, due to all the frustrations and overall feelings of discouragement that are brought on by it. This negative outlook then makes it even harder for us to manage those challenges and move forward.

Practicing positive thinking allows people with ADD to focus on our strengths and accomplishments, which increases happiness and motivation. It will help in better using your time to work on making progress, rather than feeling discouraged and helpless. You can use the following tips to help you begin to have a more positive outlook and change your thinking process, in a way to help improve your quality of life.

1. Remember there is only ONE of YOU, so taking good care of yourself is first and foremost.

When you take good care of yourself by eating healthy, exercising and getting adequate rest, it is much easier to be positive.

2. Remind Yourself of the Things You Are Grateful For

When you take the time to remember some of the things that are good in your life, then stress from the challenges you face are not as difficult. Taking just 60 seconds a day to stop and appreciate the good things will make a huge difference.

3. Don’t give in to ’making assumptions’, but instead discipline your mind to look for proof or actual facts.

Fear can be a strong negative thought process that can rob us of living a healthy, good quality life and often our fears and worries are unfounded. For instance, if you are worried or fearful that someone is in a bad mood because of something you did, or that people are secretly gossiping behind your back about you, then you should ask them if it is true or not. Otherwise you will spend a lot of wasted time worrying about it, so it is best to get the facts and not make an assumption based on a thought impression.

4. Refrain from Using Absolutes

Words like, ’ALWAYS’ or ’NEVER’ when used in a negative descriptive way, such as: "You NEVER call me any more" will only increase the negative experience. Thinking and speaking absolutes in this way will only work to make the situation seem worse than it really is, and will cause you to believe something about others that very well may not be true.

5. Detach From Negative Thoughts

Our thoughts determine the way we live and therefore you need to discern them and discipline yourself to overcome negative thinking. When a negative thought begins to invade your thinking, you need to recognize it right away as a negative influence, immediately change your thinking by turning it around to something that will make you stronger and happier.

6. Squash the "ANTs"

In his book "Change Your Brain, Change Your Life," Dr. Daniel Amen talks about "ANTs" - Automatic Negative Thoughts.

ANTs are usually negative reactionary thoughts, like "They are talking about me behind my back" or "The boss is looking for me, it must be because I did something wrong"! When you notice these thoughts, realize that they are nothing more than ANTs and squash them!

7. Begin to show your family and friends positive physical contact with a hug, smile, pat on the back or welcoming handshake.

You don’t have to be an expert to know the benefits of a good hug. Positive physical contact with friends, loved ones, and even pets, is an instant pick-me-up. There was a research study conducted, in which a waitress was told to gently touch some of her customers on the arm as she gave them their checks. She received higher tips from these customers than from the ones she didn’t touch!

8. Increase Your Social Activity

By increasing social activity, you will decrease loneliness. Surround yourself with healthy, happy people, and their positive energy will affect you in a positive way.

9. Volunteer for an Organization, or Help another Person

Everyone feels good after helping. You can volunteer your time, your money, or your resources. The more positive energy you put out into the world, the more you will receive in return.

10. Use Pattern Interrupts to Combat Harmful Thoughts.

A great way to stop thinking unconstructive thoughts is to interrupt the pattern by forcing yourself to begin thinking and doing something completely different. Recognize old thought patterns that may be hyper-focusing on something negative. That way of thinking is never productive, but only leads to stress and unnecessary anxiety. Try changing your physical environment - go for a walk or sit outside. Or, you could call a friend, turn on some music or look at a magazine.

Find sayings, scripture verses or quotes that will help motivate you to remain positive in your thinking, the following are some of my favorites: "Think like a queen. A queen is not afraid to fail. Failure is another steppingstone to greatness." - Oprah Winfrey "Fear less, hope more; Eat less, chew more; Whine less, breathe more; Talk less, say more; Love more, and all good things will be yours" - A Swedish Proverb