Have you ever been caught in a spiral of worrying thoughts, imagining worst-case scenarios, and hypothetical conversations that may never happen? This catastrophic thinking is a common experience for many people.
Catastrophic thinking is often rooted in childhood experiences and learned negative thinking patterns. As children, we internalise messages and beliefs from parents, teachers, peers, and others around us. Suppose we experience a lot of criticism, high parental expectations, trauma, or a general lack of emotional support. In that case, this can plant the seeds for an inner critic – a harsh, judgmental inner voice.
This inner critic voice takes those old negative messages and reinforces them internally throughout our lives, even into adulthood. It engages in catastrophic thinking that blows things out of proportion. Minor setbacks are turned into sources of shame. Uncertainties become potential disasters. This harsh inner voice persists below the surface level of consciousness, eroding self-esteem bit by bit.
Catastrophic thinking occurs when a negative thought about something outside your control enters your mind. It may never actually happen, but your mind can’t stop fixating on it. People can have these thoughts about anything, but these worst-case scenarios are often dark and negative. It’s as if you allow your imagination to spiral downward, envisioning an ever-worsening series of “what if” situations until you’ve absorbed yourself in a nightmare version of daydreaming.
It’s important to understand that catastrophic thinking is something you do to yourself – it’s not something that happens to you. It’s a symptom of disordered thinking patterns stemming from those early negative programming and beliefs. The techniques I’ll share are about taking back control of your thoughts because that’s all they are – just thoughts fueled by outdated mental models. You can change and control them; they don’t have to control you.
Technique 1: Interrupt The Thought Pattern
When you find yourself deep in catastrophic thinking
When you find yourself deep in catastrophic thinking, remember, “This is one of those thoughts I scare myself with.” Interrupt that thought pattern.
The most effective way is through physical movement. If you’re sitting, stand up. If you need privacy, step into another room.
Raise your left knee and tap it with your right hand. Then switch – lift your right knee and tap it with your left hand. This is called the Cross-Crawl technique. It’s excellent for breaking the hold of unhelpful thinking. It may feel silly at first, which is why privacy helps, but you’ll often end up smiling, forgetting whatever was on your mind.
Technique 2: The 5-Minute Happiness Hack
One reason for unhappiness is the inner voice constantly providing an unwanted commentary on everything you say or do. This inner voice is commonly known as the Inner Critic. It usually operates below conscious awareness, rarely saying anything constructive or supportive. It’s like a constant, toxic drip of judgment that can slowly erode self-esteem and the ability to be happy.
Until now, this inner voice has had free rein in your subconscious mind, feeling like your worst enemy. It’s time to turn that carping, moaning voice into your biggest cheerleader.
Sit quietly for a few moments and tune into the voice in your head. Listen to the kinds of judgments it says to you. Notice if any of those judgments remind you of things people said as you were growing up – you may realise how long you’ve been carrying around those unhelpful criticisms.
Each time you notice a negative judgment about yourself, take a deep breath in and out. As you exhale, consciously replace that thought with a positive ‘Afformation’ about yourself.
Afformations are different from Affirmations.
Affirmations are unreliable as a tool of change because we frequently doubt what the Afformation says. This is because we are constantly trying to convince our minds of something we may not believe to be true. However, Afformations are based on the theory that rather than telling our mind what we want and hoping that we can overcome any resistance we may be experiencing, by asking a question our mind automatically begins searching for an answer to this question.
Ensure you ask empowering Afformations, disempowering questions (such as ‘Why am I such a loser?’), and tell us that we can’t do anything right. We always manifest what we focus on, so if we ask negative questions, we get negative results. Do ensure that your Afformations are always positive, and the results can be amazing. After saying each Afformation, repeat the word ‘Yes’ about ten times. Use Afformations often during the day, and you should notice a change in how you think and feel about yourself.
Here are some examples:
Why is it so easy to follow a healthy, balanced diet?
Why is it so easy to reach my target weight?
Why do I treat my body so well?
Why do I let go of excess pounds so easily?
Why do I not allow negative thoughts to live in my mind?
Why do I see my body as perfect, just as it is?
Why do I look in the mirror and see I am enough?
Why do I forgive my past mistakes?
Why do I love my healthy lifestyle?
Why do I have the perfect shape for me?
Why am I so trim, firm and healthy?
Why do I let myself win?
Why did I find it so effortless to stop my compulsive overeating?
Why do I feed my body correctly?
Why am I so sunnily confident and happy?
Why is it more important to be happy than to be right?
Now, you can try writing your own. Repeat your Afformations to yourself as you walk along the street, or in the shower in the morning, or sitting in your car in traffic. The simple act of posing these types of questions to yourself every day, as often as you can, will help you shift your thinking into a more positive perspective, and from this new point of view will come positive action.
Replacing negative thoughts with positive ones works best when it becomes a habit. Psychologists recommend 21 repetitions to form a new habit. So set aside 10 minutes daily for three weeks until your mind gets used to supporting and cheering you on rather than putting you down.
‘The Great Little Book of Afformations’ by Noah St John & Denise Berard ISBN 0-9715629-6-2
