Replace Negative Thoughts With Positive Ones

With regular practice, you can identify negative thoughts and self-talk and then take steps to change them to positive thoughts, before they get a chance to interfere with your choices and actions. Each time you find yourself thinking negatively, you can say 'stop' and force yourself to rationally replace that thought with something positive and helpful. The exercise will feel unnatural at first but the more you do it, the more it will become an unconscious habit. As your faith in yourself and your qualities increases, so will your positive thoughts.

You can reinforce positive thoughts through the use of images coupled with emotions. This will require a bit more time and effort but can strengthen the quality of positive thoughts. Begin by focusing on a happy memory that makes you feel 'good.' Close your eyes and think about what you were feeling at that time. By associating a feeling with an image, the positive thoughts are reinforced and become much stronger. The more often you practice this exercise, the more positive thoughts you will experience and the more positive your overall attitude to yourself and those around you will become.

Positivity is a circular concept and is indeed contagious as well. Your personal improvement will encourage those around you to be just as positive, which in turn, will reflect back to you and trigger more positive thinking. Take the time to slowly change your negative thinking into positive thought patterns, and you can feel better about yourself while reducing the chances of a depressive episode.

---- a forward message which I received sometime back