Because I’ve had a lot of experience with depression, I’ve learned to become much better (better–not perfect) at catching negative emotions while they’re smaller–before they’ve snowballed to a point where it can feel impossible to change them.
When I say “catch” negative emotions, I mean having an awareness of the negative emotion, and then finding the thought that the emotion is pointing to.
Once you “see” the thought creating the painful emotion, you’ve tapped into your power. You are the observer, separate from the thought. You can determine whether that thought is serving you and whether you want to continue deliberately thinking it.
But if your negative emotions have already snowballed–if you’re already in that dark place where it can seem impossible to follow the above process, try repeating the following phrase (from A Course in Miracles) to yourself, out loud or silently:
“I am willing to see things differently.”
Keep saying it. Keep thinking it. Let it be your mantra.
Using this as your first replacement thought can bring you a lot of relief and help you get to the place where you can begin again the process of permanently rewriting the negative script playing in your mind.
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