If you struggle with anxious thoughts, you might tend to expect the worst even when there’s no evidence to support those negative expectations. For instance, if you have to speak in front of a group of people, your anxious mind might jump to the negative assumption that you’ll forget what you’re supposed to say or stumble on your words. Even if you are fully prepared and skilled at public speaking, anxiety can sneak into your mind to distort realistic, likely positive outcomes. So, instead of allowing anxiety to create the illusion that you’re destined to fail, embrace positive thinking to shine a light on your strengths while hoping for the best and visualizing success.
Here are five ways that you can use positive thinking to combat anxiety:
- Imagine a positive outcome: Give yourself the benefit of the doubt that everything will be fine. Instead of imagining that you’ll stumble in your speech, envision getting through your presentation with ease, followed by receiving praise from your boss and coworkers.
- Accept imperfections: Put your mind at ease knowing that you’re allowed to make mistakes, and that life doesn’t always go as planned. If you lose your train of thought during your presentation, what will happen? You will probably pause for a moment, regain your focus, and continue without anyone noticing such an insignificant mistake.
- Practice positivity: Rehearse positive responses or actions so that if you are ever put in an uncomfortable or unpleasant situation, you can quickly recover and resume your positive thinking. Let’s say you stumble on your words. Should you leave the room embarrassed? Of course not, just follow up with a quick “Sorry about that” or “I got tongue-tied for a second there” and continue with your presentation. The better you get at brushing off isolated moments, the easier it’ll get to not fixate on negativity.
- Be practical: Acknowledge that negative events are unlikely – and often exaggerated in your mind. If you have generalized anxiety, you might expect the worst at every corner, but knowing that the worst-case scenario is an improbable one can help you anticipate positive outcomes.
- Put things into perspective: Anxious minds tend to catastrophize even the smallest negative events into unbearable fears. That’s why it’s important to recognize that even if something goes wrong, it’s not the end of the world. Will you get fired for mispronouncing a word during your presentation? Highly unlikely. So, the next time you feel anxious about something, take a moment to realize that it’s not the end of the world. You are a strong and resilient person who can use positivity to persevere.
Ultimately, when you embrace positive thinking, you are training your mind to stay on a positive train of thought rather than being easily derailed by negativity or anxiety. Knowing that positivity isn’t an exercise in naivety but rather a commitment to self-preservation and improved self-esteem will only help you enjoy the moment and look forward to the future.
Using positive thinking when you’re anxious can instill confidence and optimism so that you don’t succumb to a negative self-fulfilling prophecy. Remember that when you are feeling anxious, it’s just your mind’s way, albeit an unhelpful way, of protecting you from enduring negative thoughts, feelings, and experiences. The truth is, anxiety often exaggerates the likelihood of negative outcomes occurring, which is why you deserve to exchange your fear and self-doubt for confidence and optimism.
If you would like the support of a licensed counsellor to learn other ways to cope with anxiety, consider joining Homewood Therapy@Home’s online skills-building group, Relax, or book an individual counselling session today: https://homewoodhealth.com/home/services/therapyathome/