It goes without saying that you have to figure out what’s on your mind before you can begin to control it.<ul><li>discouraging thoughts or emotional setbacks</li><li>rumination: looping thoughts</li><li>intrusive thoughts: common distressing thoughts, but pass quickly if you don’t engage with them.</li><li>cognitive biases: errors in thinking that can affect your choices or interactions</li><li>a fixed pessimistic outlook</li></ul>

1) Identify the Negative Thoughts

It’s human nature to flinch away from pain, so of course you’d prefer to avoid thoughts that cause distress.Yet pushing away unwanted thoughts isn’t the way to gain control . That usually just makes them more intense.Instead, try the opposite: Accept those thoughts, and let them in.

2) Accept Unwanted Thoughts

Here’s what to know about meditation: It really can <a href="https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2018/04/harvard-researchers-study-how-mindfulness-may-change-the-brain-in-depressed-patients/">help change </a>your brain, but you have to <a href="https://www.healthline.com/health/daily-meditation">stick with it </a>.Learn how to sit with the thoughts you don’t want. Notice them, but then let them go.The more you meditate, the easier it becomes to let unwanted thoughts drift past.Meditation offers many benefits:<ul><li>improve control of your awareness</li><li>relieve the intensity of negative emotions and stress</li><li>boost resilience and compassion</li><li>help slow age-related cognitive decline</li></ul>

3) Meditate

Mindfulness meditation, in particular, can help you become more skilled at focusing on things as they happen.As you become more mindful, you’ll notice you no longer need to constantly pull your awareness back from troubling or distracting thoughts.

Mindfulness Meditation

If addressing yourself in the first-person doesn’t work, switch to a third-person perspective:<ul><li>Instead of: “I feel miserable, but I’ve been through worse, so I can deal with this, too.”</li><li>Try: “I know you feel miserable right now, but you’ve worked hard to cope with other challenges, so you have the strength to face this, too.”</li></ul>Changing your perspective helps trick your mind into considering yourself as another person, giving you distance from your own hardships.

4) Change your Perspective

This cognitive reappraisal strategy offers some important benefits:<ul><li>creates space from intense thoughts and emotions to reveal the full picture</li><li>interrupts circling thoughts to explore feelings productively</li><li>allows for cheering yourself on. People tend to accept outside support more readily than encouragement from within.</li></ul>

The Outside Perspective

Positive reframing is another reappraisal strategy that can help you regain control over your mindset.Positive thinking doesn’t mean pretending there’s nothing wrong. Rather, it involves putting a more positive spin on your negative thoughts — looking on the bright side, finding a silver lining in the storm clouds above.Reframing won’t change the actual outcome of a situation, but it can change the way you feel about your circumstances.

5) Focus on Positives

<a href="https://www.healthline.com/health/guided-imagery">Guided imagery </a>is a meditation technique where you <a href="https://www.healthline.com/health/visualization-meditation">visualize </a>positive, peaceful scenarios to promote a calmer state of mind.Get started with these simple steps:<ol><li>Get comfortable</li><li>Take a few slow, deep breaths</li><li>Create a relaxing scene in your mind, including all your senses</li><li>Picture yourself wandering through the scene you’ve created, mindfully taking in your surroundings</li><li>Keep breathing slowly, letting the peace of the scene wash over you and help you relax</li><li>Spend 10 to 15 minutes enjoying your image</li><li>Finish with a few deep breaths and open your eyes</li></ol>

6) Try Guided Imagery

The simple act of writing down a thought is often enough to <a href="https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/1ca1/877e67a6fa253a4a9bf902244d196a348e8d.pdf?_ga=2.95320220.1854035249.1608045648-101634044.1606316880">reduce </a>its intensity.Writing can help you get more comfortable with expressing difficult emotions by acknowledging them somewhat indirectly. You can even try writing them down in narrative form, as if telling a story.Try wrapping up a meditation or imagery session with 15 minutes of journaling. You can write about any thoughts, positive or negative, that came up while they’re still fresh in your mind.Journaling also helps you find patterns of unhelpful thoughts or behaviors.

7) Write it Out

Focused distractions can help redirect thoughts and improve your frame of mind. Certain types of distractions might even boost <a href="https://www.healthline.com/health/how-to-get-motivated">motivation </a>and productivity.When experiencing negative thoughts, turn your attention to things you’ve been meaning to accomplish.Other positive distractions include:<ul><li>spending time with loved ones</li><li>listening to calming or uplifting music</li><li>taking a walk</li></ul>Just make sure you’re using distractions as a temporary break, not complete denial or avoidance.

8) Try Focused Distractions

Circumstances out of your control sometimes add stress and anxiety, fueling negative thoughts. This can provoke more worry and lead you on a downward spiral.Explore key sources of stress in your life and create a self-care routine to help remove those triggers.Take your daily M.E.D.S.S.<ul><li>Meditate - take time to relax</li><li>Exercise - move your body to calm your mind</li><li>Diet - eat nourishing foods</li><li>Sleep - minimum 7 hrs</li><li>Social Connection - spend time with friends and family</li></ul>

9) Manage your Stress

Learning to control your mind is sometimes easier said than done.Seek help for mental health conditions and symptoms, including:<ul><li>depression</li><li>anxiety</li><li>obsessions and compulsions</li><li>intrusive thoughts that keep coming back or get more intense</li><li>overly <a href="https://www.healthline.com/health/paranoia">suspicious </a>or negative thoughts about others</li><li>lingering <a href="https://www.healthline.com/health/stages-of-grief">grief </a>or sadness</li></ul>It’s worth seeking professional support for any mindset that affects your relationships and overall well-being.

10) Talk to a Therapist

A therapist can help you begin to identify underlying issues and explore potential solutions.Look for a therapist who offers:<ul><li>cognitive behavioral therapy</li><li>mindfulness-based cognitive therapy</li><li>acceptance and commitment therapy</li><li>psychodynamic therapy</li></ul>These approaches are specifically designed to help people get better at accepting, challenging, and reframing unhelpful thoughts.

Choose the Right Help

You don’t need to be psychic to control your mind. You may just need some practice and a bit of patience.If you continue to have a hard time regaining control over your mindset, a therapist can offer guidance.

The Bottom Line

You don’t have to live in a sci-fi movie to control your mind. We break down 10 strategies to help you gain the upper hand over your mindset and outlook. 

How to Control Your Mind: 10 Techniques

Carl Buch