Hey everyone and welcome to another month of Kim’s Monthly Motivations! I feel like this month’s article was really necessary, for myself included, considering how insanely crazy the world has been. It seems to just be bad news on top of more bad news! With such heavy and unsettling topics in recent headlines, it becomes easy to fall into some sort of spiral mentally. We tend to become anxious and have overall negative outlooks on life once we fall into this never ending circle of dark thoughts. With that being said, this month we will talk about ways to help ease anxious thoughts through uncertain times and ways to correct negative thinking!

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“Our attitude towards life determines life’s attitude towards us.”

-John Mitchell

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Easing Anxious Thoughts: 

With everything going on currently and these past few years, it is important to be able to regulate your anxiousness in a way that is healthy. 

So here are some ways to help cope with the seemingly unbearable anxiety you might be facing… 

Take a break from social media and the news: 

As said numerous times, the news can easily cause us to get anxious. Even worse, social media tends to spread the information (whether it is correct or not). On top of false information, social media can feed into the worries people are feeling and cause more anxiousness. For example, with the Russia and Ukraine war. I remember scrolling on Tiktok and seeing many videos saying how we were going to be in WWIII. This, understandably, made me really nervous until I looked into the topic more and realized the possibility of it happening was actually quite lower than perceived. Though these are unpredictable times, it is important to think logically and social media tends to obstruct our ability to do so. 

Journaling

I ALWAYS talk about journaling because it really does work wonders. If you are worried and feel like your mind won’t stop running, it is a good idea to get the ideas out. Writing them down, reading them over and thinking more logically about them will help ease your mind just a bit. 

Distractions-physical activities are really great for this. 

Distracting yourself by doing something you love is always a great and enjoyable option to relax. Specifically, I want to point out physical activities. Exercising improves our mood and gives us something to focus on. Yoga, for example, is a great hobby to try out. Yoga can help you get into a more calm, relaxed mood. Maybe after yoga you can even meditate! Meditating is absolutely great and can really help you become more mindful of your own body.

 Breathing exercises

Yes, you can take a few deep breaths but there are actually many exercises that help relieve stress and anxiety. For example, there is the 4-7-8 breathing technique in which you inhale for 4 seconds, hold for 7 and exhale slowly for 8. 

Look at the positives

Once again, we tend to get so wrapped up with all the negativity in the world that we forget to look at the positives. Something that could help would be to look at some good things happening in the world or looking at the bright side of things. One piece of good news is that a once extinct fish named the Mexican ‘Tequila Fish’ has been reintroduced successfully! Though that is something small, it is still worthwhile. 

Talk to supportive friends and family to let your worries and emotions out. 

As said before, it is important to get your worries out in some way. It is not healthy or beneficial to keep your emotions in, letting your mind spiral out of control. Talk to people you trust and maybe they can help you out! Though it might be hard to do at first, trust me, it will work out in the end!

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REMEMBER: It Is OK If You Are Anxious!

Our world is absolutely crazy and in this past year we have dealt with many dark and honestly terrifying things. We are basically living history right now, which is so crazy to think about. If you are struggling, it is completely ok. It does not make you weak or selfish, it makes you human! Don’t hold all of your emotions in because you are nervous of being judged. Everyone handles things differently at the end of the day. No matter what you are going through, remember you got this! Even though I might not know you personally, I still believe in you! Things will get better with time, trust me <3. 

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Ways to Correct Negative Thinking:

Be self-aware/learn when you are thinking negatively

The most important way to correct negative thinking is first being able to identify it. Make sure to be self-aware of when you’re in a bad mood/stressed because at those times you are more likely to think negatively. Practicing being more self-aware leads you one step closer to improving your behavior.

Question yourself and Rationalize

Once you identify your negative behavior, make sure to question it. For example, ask yourself questions like “What is the positive to this situation?” or “Why am I looking just at the negative here?” It might help to write these thoughts down…in a journal! (Can you tell I like journaling? 

Additionally, you can also rationalize your thoughts. Many times, our negative thoughts are just formed from our minds playing tricks on us. Our minds sabotage us more than we think.

Focus on things you already like

If you’re trapped in your negative thoughts, thinking about something you love to do can help you get into a better mood. Negative ideas come from bad moods, so if you put yourself into a good mood it’s possible you can start thinking more positively too! Some things you could think about is watching your favorite show, playing with your pets, hanging out with your friends, etc. This is unique to you!

Affirmations

Once you are able to identify your thoughts, use affirmations to correct your way of thinking. This is pretty self-explanatory and unique to your own situations. 

SO…Here is an example of these steps in action!

Thought: “I am so stupid because I did bad on this test.”

Possible Actions: 

     -Question yourself: “Why would I think I am stupid based on one test?” “Could this experience end up           being positive?”

     -Rationalize: One test/bad grade does not identify my self-worth or smartness. 

     -Focus on the good: This is only one test I’ve done not so good on. I have more opportunities to do                   better. This shows me I need to study more on this topic. 

     -Affirmations: I can make mistakes and learn. I am intelligent. I will improve. 

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Well, that is all for this month’s article. I hope  you enjoyed reading and will follow some of these ideas if you are struggling. Have a great month everyone! Think positive and take time for yourself! Until next time! 🙂