Want to know the most effective ways on how to turn negative thoughts into positive thoughts? These are the tried and true strategies you need to implement in your life.
Congratulations! You’re on an exciting path to transforming your mind. I know from experience, this path can seem never ending, but remember you’re worth every step.
As someone who used to have very dark thoughts and is still working through some, I’m giving you the BEST strategies to turn your negative thoughts into positive thoughts.
After learning these strategies, you’ll be able to combat negative thoughts like never before. It’s time to welcome in those positive thoughts.
This post is all about strategies to turn negative thoughts into positive thoughts.
Are you ready? Let’s geaux!
What Causes Negative Thoughts
Let’s be honest: Everyone has negative thoughts from time to time. There are many reasons why negative thoughts may happen.
One of the biggest reasons why negative thoughts happen is because you have an enemy who intentionally tries to steal, kill, and destroy your life (John 10:10 NIV).
Everything you face in life starts in the spiritual realm.
There’s nothing that you do that can be apart from the spiritual realm because you’re a spirit.
In fact, you’re a trinity just like God. He is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
You are a spirit, with a soul, inside of a body.
Click the image below to access “Bestie Belongings”; YOUR Free Resource Library. This library includes affirmation cards, devotionals, mini workbooks that include prayer starter prompts, self-reflection questions, bible reading plans, and more! All designed with love to keep you close to your Bestie Forever, Jesus Christ!
7 Main Causes Of Negative Thinking
1. Poor Mental Health
Your mental health is just as important as your physical health. Depression and anxiety are two mental health conditions that are known to be coupled with negative thinking.
Depression, in particular, causes feelings of low self-esteem, hopelessness, and worthlessness.
If you’re struggling with depression or anxiety, talk therapy is a great thing to try.
Example Of Thoughts: “I can’t do this”. “I’m not enough”. “That could never be me”.
2. Childhood Traumatic Experiences
Your childhood shapes the way you see and interpret the world around you. Years one through seven are the most influential years of your life.
Unfortunately, negative experiences lead to negative beliefs about God, yourself, and others.
None of the experiences were your fault, but it’s now your responsibility to partner with God to heal.
Example Of Thoughts: “No one loves me”. “Everyone leaves me”. “I’ll never have a home”.
{RELATED POST: How To Walk In Obedience To God}
3. Isolating Yourself
Isolation is an unhealthy coping strategy. It can stem from the belief that you’re a burden to others.
Isolating yourself is usually related to depression, anxiety, and other mental health conditions.
If you have low self-esteem, social anxiety, PTSD, or if you have experienced extreme stress, then you may tend to self-isolate.
Examples Of Thoughts: “I don’t want to cause any pain to anyone else”. “I’ll always be an outsider”. “Others are better off without me”.
4. Unresolved Issues/Unforgiveness
Unforgiveness is a nasty deceiver. It makes you think that you’re withholding something from others, but in reality, you’re depriving yourself of freedom.
Can you identify some issues in your life that have been unresolved? Is there any people that you haven’t forgiven? Your mom? Dad? Uncle?
Examples Of Thoughts: “They deserve to feel as low as I did”. “What about me”? “Why doesn’t anyone ever acknowledge how I feel”?
5. Too Much Stress
Too much stress isn’t good for the body. When you’re under a lot of stress, you go into survival mode.
You were never meant to carry all that you’re carrying. If something is stressing you out, begin to question if it’s worth being in your life.
Remember you matter!
What are the things that are stressing you out? Can you identify them?
Examples Of Thoughts: “Why am I even here”? “How am I going to handle this”? “I can’t do it anymore”.
{RELATED POST: How To Stop Self-Sabotaging}
6. Perfectionism
Having unrealistic standards for yourself often results in disappointment.
You weren’t designed to be perfect; you were destined to be you.
Let your new mantra be: “Progression over perfection”.
Examples Of Thoughts: “I can’t make any mistakes”. “What will they think of me if I mess up”? “I’m not doing enough”.
7. Comparison
To be completely honest, comparison will knock at your door. It’s up to you to let it in or keep it out.
Comparing yourself to another person is a gateway into negative thinking.
Remember the grass is not greener on the other side, it’s green where you water it.
Examples Of Thoughts: “Their life looks so perfect, mine is a mess”. “I wish I had their work ethic”. “Look at their relationship, we should be more like that”.
Our mental healthy is just as important as our spiritual and physical health. And God cares for every fiber of our being. Click the image below to grab your FREE mini workbook to help keep your mental healthy! 
What To Do When You Have Negative Thoughts
Experiencing negative thinking isn’t subject to you and you alone. Millions of people around the world are facing this same issue.
Please don’t think that you’re alone in this.
One of the enemy’s tactics is to make you feel like you’re the only one going through this, but you’re not.
Here are some things you can do when you are experiencing negative thoughts:
1. Acknowledge The Thought
Proverbs 3:5-6 NIV-Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not to your own understanding; in all you ways submit to him and he will make your paths straight.
Acknowledging a negative thought doesn’t mean that you’re accepting it. It’s important to acknowledge the negative thoughts because that’s how you conquer them.
Try not to avoid, suppress, or ignore them.
Face them head on.
2. Separate Yourself From The Thoughts
Proverbs 4:23 NIV-Above all else, guard your heart. For everything you do, flows from it.
You are NOT your thoughts. You’re an observer of your thoughts.
Think of your mind as a garden. A garden is an ecosystem of many hosts.
Some benefit the garden and others don’t.
It’s your job to guard your garden, but first you have to separate yourself from what lives there.
3. Take The Thought Captive
2 Corinthians 10:5 ESV-We destroy every argument and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ.
Remember: You have a real enemy who would do anything to keep you from having peace in your mind.
The Bible has given you a wonderful scripture to remind you of what to do when the enemy whispers negative thoughts in your ear.
It says “We destroy every argument and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5 ESV).
The key is to know God’s character as well as His voice.
4. Reframe The Thought
Colossians 3:1-2 ESV-If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.
Reframing your thoughts helps you to see the opportunities in opposition. It also helps you to shift your perspective from negative to positive.
Example:
Negative thought-“I’m never going to be able to do that”.
Positive Reframe-“God is with me and He is guiding me with His loving hand”.
Our mental healthy is just as important as our spiritual and physical health. And God cares for every fiber of our being. Click the image below to grab your FREE mini workbook to help keep your mental healthy!
11 Strategies To Turn Negative Thoughts Into Positive Thoughts
Turning negative thoughts into positive thoughts will improve your mental health.
Negative thoughts will come, but with these strategies you will easily be able challenge them and reframe them.
1. Recognize Where The Thoughts Come From
Everything has an origin. Where do the negative thoughts in your mind stem from?
Did you experience any rejection from family? What have you been watching or listening to?
I noticed that some of my thoughts weren’t even my own. Some of them were familiar voices from people in my life that I needed to release.
{RELATED POST: How To Forgive When You’re Still Angry}
2. Name The Negative Voice In Your Mind
Naming the negative voice allows you to distance yourself from the voice. This is a technique that’s widely practiced in Cognitive Behavior Therapy to help break the pattern of negative thoughts.
You can name that inner voice anything you’d like. For example, if you have a voice that demands perfection, you can call it “Perfection”.
The name can be as simple or complex as you want it to be.
Remember this is to help you separate yourself from the negative voice.
3. Challenge The Thoughts
What you think isn’t automatically true. Remember that some of these thoughts are not your own.
When is the last time you challenged your thoughts?
4. Weigh The Thought Against God’s Word
Only the Creator can define His creation so if the thoughts don’t line up with God’s word, then they aren’t true.
What did God say about you? How does feel God about you based on His word?
Focus on God’s word rather than the negative thoughts.
5. Replace The Thought With Truth
When you find out what God’s word says use it as ammunition.
In the book of Ephesians, God’s word is called the sword of the Spirit (Ephesians 6:17 ESV).
Practice speaking God’s word over yourself everyday.
Pick one scripture and speak it over yourself daily.
6. Practice Positive Self-Talk
The way you speak to yourself can either help or hinder you. Life and death are in the power of your tongue and you will reap the consequences of whatever you speak (Proverbs 18:21 ESV).
It’s so important to have compassion for yourself. Be as kind to yourself as you would be to a friend.
The next time you make a mistake, don’t beat yourself up.
You’re too valuable for that!
7. Embrace The Journey
Sometimes, negative thoughts can stem from impatience and feeling like you’re behind in life.
Try to remember that you’re going at a pace specific to you.
You’re not behind and even if you’ve messed up time and time again, you have another chance to embrace the journey.
{RELATED POST: Learning To Be Patient With Yourself}
8. Practice Gratitude
Practicing gratitude is a way to “grab your attitude” and tell it to get right. Each day, take some time to write down what you’re grateful for and why.
This little practice may seem small, but it’s monumental for your transformation.
Gratitude is key for receiving an abundance.
9. Consume More Positivity
The saying “You are what you eat” couldn’t be more true.
Whatever you put into your mind and body WILL come out.
If you want to be more positive, you have to intentionally put forth the effort to seek out positivity.
A great place to start is listening to more of God’s word.
10. Eat Cleaner
Eating whole foods not only impacts the body, but it impacts the mind. Certain foods can enhance or impair your mood and cognitive function.
Did you know that your gut and your brain are closely connected? Research suggests that a healthy gut microbiome is linked to better mental health outcomes.
(Check Out This Article For More About The Gut-Brain Connection)
11. Focus On The Present
Why worry about tomorrow when today has enough trouble of its own (Matthew 6:34 NIV)?
Focusing on the present moment will help you to turn negative thoughts into positive thoughts by showing you that you can only manage what’s in front of you.
When you’re stressed or worried about the future, negative thoughts can start to spiral out of control.
This is because stress and worry trigger the flight or fight response in the body.
Focusing on the present keeps you calm and collected which is essentially more positive.
What strategies will you be implementing in your life to turn negative thoughts into positive thoughts?
This post was all about strategies to turn negative thoughts into positive thoughts.
If You Enjoyed This Post, You’ll Love These:
The Best Method To Overcome Negative Thinking
How To Be Positive Everyday Even When Your Environment Isn’t
How To Overcome Guilt And Shame
Face Adversity With A Positive Attitude: 7 Spirit-Filled Tips
4 BEST Ways To Stop Intrusive Thoughts
Before You Go…Let’s Recap
What strategies have you been using to combat negative thoughts? How have they worked for you? Drop a comment down below and let’s chat!
Grab Your Free Resources
Don’t forget to access Bestie’s Belongings. This is a FREE Resource Library designed just for you. Click the image down below to explore your resource library!
To stay up to date with all things Blissful-Faith, join the community——————->HERE!
——————->CLICK HERE to follow Blissful-Faith’s Tiktok!
——————->CLICK HERE to follow Blissful-Faith’s Youtube!
——————->CLICK HERE to follow Blissful-Faith’s Pinterest!
Always remember that you’re destined to win because He got up!
-Devyn Janae
Leave a Reply