Break Out Of The Loop

 

How Do You Get Into A Thought Loop?

 

A thought loop is when you continue a thought pattern, and as contra intuitive might sound, deliberate thinking is essential to break out of the cycle. We can swap the thoughts with better-feeling ones, but before we do that it is recommended to acknowledge the ones we have and especially to feel the feelings they generate. Think about this for a minute and pause to feel exactly what you are feeling in the moment. 

 

Your thoughts are not reality nor real, they are simply mental events, and they are not you. Therefore, rather than looking to change negative thoughts with positive ones, or to look only to have positive thoughts, which is not realistic, look at having a positive vision towards life. A positive vision can then be created, going through five different stages.

 

 

Observe

 

The first step starts with awareness, focusing on your inner world. This refers to your way of being and how you view and react to the world around you as opposed to how you want to create what you desire. Next, you can learn to use your emotions as a sense of drive and direction. For example, if you are feeling frustrated, you can take this feeling to motivate you to take steps to solve the problem that is causing you to feel this way. Or you could be experiencing feelings of envy. In this case, ask yourself what you are envious of and what is missing in your life and turn it into emulative envy or inspiration.

 

 

Feel

 

Learn that all emotions are valid, embrace and feel your emotions before and after you act on something. All feelings are logical and act as a way to communicate something within your mind, so try not to divert attention and ignore the message. Sometimes it can help to theoretically and mentally detach from yourself and observe from an objective point of view. This way, it can help to understand what you are thinking and how a particular emotion comes along.

 

 

Reflect

 

Explore and reflect on where your emotions come from; emotions are usually a result of thoughts. Sometimes, our thoughts are so well hidden in our subconscious mind that the source of thought is not obvious. They could come from past impressions and experiences, and in some cases, it is equally acceptable not to give emotions meaning or to make sense of them but to allow yourself to go through the emotional journey.

 

 

Act

 

Listen and act on your emotions according to your intuition, and listen to your inner wisdom, as the role of instinct is priceless. So often, snap decisions are as good as, if not better, than carefully planned ones.

 

 

Grow

 

Notice what brings you joy when alone or in the company of others, and learn to cultivate simple pleasures. Take care of your physical body, exercise regularly, and keep yourself in a clean environment. Remember to set realistic goals and reward yourself along the way, don’t overwork yourself. It is just as important to take breaks as it is to reach your goal. 

 

Now that you know how a positive vision is created and maintained, you may wonder what to do when things get tough. The answer is simple, try new activities and continue doing the activities you enjoy. Remember that the brain likes it sweet and short. Below, explore the range of activities and positive habits you can try to break out of the thought loop

 

Enjoyable activities to do by yourself or with others:

 

• Cooking, widen your cooking skill set and use your emotions to motivate yourself to cook more dishes. 
• Reading, Fiction or nonfiction is a great way to shift our focus; it is common for people to read for this reason as well as for a sense of escapism for a short period.
• Tidying and clearing our surrounding spaces can help us to feel cleansed in our inner selves.
• Yoga and meditation; taking care of your body should always be your priority. 
• Practice gratitude, take gratitude one step forward and think about your blessings, thanking yourself for caring for your body and mind. Then think about how others have taken care of your whole self, and make a habit of thinking about these blessings each day. 
• Enjoy music, and discover new genres and subgenres.
• Practising positive self-talk and positive affirmations is a great way to do this, as they train our brain towards a clearer vision and alter our thoughts for the better. 
• Take care of your physical body, and prioritise sleep and healthy eating over exercise.
• Yoga retreat, spend time with like-minded, kind and supportive people.

 

 

How can you break out of the thought loop?

 

Connect with yourself and others to co-regulate emotions and manage complicated feelings and thoughts together. Think about what it is that you want to achieve and the thoughts that are going to help you reach your goal. Do more of what brings you closer to your goal, and set specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and smart goals. Break them down into smaller, more manageable steps, creating a plan of action. More importantly, track your process and celebrate your success along the way.

 

 

When in doubt, pause and practice mindfulness, none of us is perfect, but practising mindfulness daily is the best anchor to enjoy life fully.