Do you ever feel like your own brain is working against you? Like, no matter how hard you try to focus on a task, your mind just keeps wandering off?

Believe me, we’ve all been there. But don’t worry, my dear friend. In this article, I’m going to give you some proven tips and tricks for controlling your thoughts and mind.

So sit back, relax (but not too much), grab some snacks (healthy ones preferred), and let’s get started!

Understanding Your Brain

Before we begin with the actual methods of controlling your thoughts and mind, it’s important that you understand a bit about how the brain works.

The human brain is divided into three main parts:

1. The reptilian complex – responsible for basic functions such as breathing and heart rate.
2. The limbic system – responsible for emotions such as fear or pleasure.
3. The neocortex – responsible for cognitive processes such as thinking or language.

Fun fact: Did you know that the average adult human brain weighs around 3 pounds? And yet despite its relatively small size compared to other organs in our body, it consumes around 20% of our daily energy!

Anyway, knowing these areas can help us better control them once we start implementing certain techniques.

Identifying Unhelpful Thoughts

One key aspect of controlling our thoughts is identifying which ones are helpful versus unhelpful.

For example – if someone cuts in front of us in line at Starbucks (how dare they!), an unhelpful thought would be something like “I’ll never get my coffee now!” Whereas a more helpful thought could be “It’s okay; I’ll still get my coffee eventually.”

To identify when we’re having unhelpful thoughts that may lead to stress or anxiety later on (something we definitely want to avoid) try to think about how you’re feeling in the moment.

For example – do you feel on edge, stressed out, or anxious? If so, it’s likely that your thoughts are contributing to these negative emotions.

Controlling Unhelpful Thoughts

Now that we know what unhelpful thoughts look like let’s go through some methods for controlling them. Here are a few different techniques – try them all and see which one works best for your mind:

The STOP Method

This method is super simple but can be extremely helpful when trying to stop an unhelpful thought spiral. All you need to do is:

1. S – Stop whatever you’re doing
2. T – Take a deep breath
3. O – Observe your thoughts non-judgmentally (without evaluating them)
4. P – Proceed with something else (go back to work, read a book or EAT SOME SNACKS!)

Cognitive Restructuring

This technique helps us transform unhelpful thought patterns into more positive ones by:

1. Recognizing negative self-talk
2. Identifying why those beliefs exist
3. Replacing negative beliefs with positive and optimistic affirmations

Here’s an example of cognitive restructuring at work: Let’s say Sara has failed her driving test three times and thinks “I’ll never pass my driving license.” Her new affirmation could be “My previous attempts have taught me useful lessons that I will use during my next exam.”

Mindfulness Meditation

Mindfulness meditation involves focusing our attention on the present moment without judgment or resistance while observing any thoughts from far away as they arise within ourselves.

By being mindful of our physical sensations like sound or temperature and using breathing exercises when distractions come up during this activity; practicing mindfulness regularly can reduce anxiety levels over time!

You don’t have to meditate for hours – even just 10 minutes per day can make a huge difference.

How to Achieve Mental Clarity

Mental clarity is like having a superpower – it allows you to think more creatively, make decisions better and solve problems much easier without feeling overwhelmed.

Here are few ways you can achieve mental clarity:

Get Enough Sleep

Sleep helps our brain rest and recoup energy. According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), an average adult needs at least 7-8 hours per night to function well mentally.

Remove Distractions

Minimise all external distractions such as noise, vibrations or unread messages notifications from your phone which may hinder focus on important thoughts.

Exercise Regularly

Exercise releases endorphins in the brain that improve mood and increase blood circulation around vital organs —including grey matter both of which enhances mental stability!

Stop Negative Self-Talk

Don’t talk yourself out of success before trying! Negative self-talk makes everything harder than needed because we anticipate failure instead of believing in ourselves. Eliminating negative self-talk involves taking these steps:

1. Recognize when we start with negative self-feedback
2. Slowing down the thought process by focusing on small accomplishments or positive qualities.
3. Compare present day’s progress reports against your old logs instead!

By confronting our negativity head-on, you’ll be able to reduce its power over time so practice saying “I CAN DO IT!”

FINALLY….

Remember that controlling thoughts takes patience and perseverance; stopping unhelpful habits will be difficult but through practice — while not studying for medical school—you will learn how best control them effectively overtime! Don’t give up just because things get tough—the more you stick with it, the better results you’ll see over time!

Thank me later…just kidding nobody forgets their savior 😀😉