In this article we will learn the most effective ways to rebut negative thoughts. But firstly, we need to be familiar with the nature of such thoughts.
In today’s contemporary world, we are constantly under siege by an onslaught of different information. As our lives become faster, it becomes more difficult to find time to uncover the facts. The impressions of others are everywhere: in our everyday lives, on social media, TV commercials, the internet, and so on. No matter where you look, your mind is susceptible to becoming overburdened by all kinds of unnecessary and trivial things. Additionally, this current of information is affecting our attention span and patience.
Have you noticed that the most popular YouTube videos are often the shortest? While Twitter thrives on short posts. How many times have you watched a video on Facebook that is prefaced by the message “watch until the end”. This is because they know that our attention spans have been reduced to the bare minimum. We want instant information and entertainment that we can easily process with minimal effort.
Sadly, this condition is also reflected in our relationships with others and with ourselves. Our relationships are arguably becoming more shallow, because we simply don’t have the attention span or energy to sustain a healthy, mutual relationship. Another harmful side-effect of this kind of thinking is that it can become obsessive and tiring.
To avoid these negative outcomes, we need to filter out our mind in order to feel free and content with our lives. When we fulfill this step, we will be ready to build healthier relationships with others and our mindset will naturally improve. You will be surprised by how little is needed to be happy, as Marcus Aurelius wrote:
“Very little is needed to make a happy life; it is all within yourself, in your way of thinking.”
Marcus Aurelius
Impressions and Negative Thoughts
In order to live a happy and content life we need to maintain our mental hygiene. According to Stoic philosophy, we are the only one responsible for our thoughts. The content of our mind is therefore in our control. If you have troublesome thoughts and impressions about something, you must remember that those are manageable. But where do these troublesome thoughts come from?
The answer is pretty simple: harmful thoughts have their roots in unexamined impressions. So, how can we deal with those impressions?
First, impressions are not objective. They are the product of our subjective worldview. Our experience of the world is unique and it is inhabited by many different impressions. These impressions are colored with emotion, which can lead us to exaggerate certain feelings and thoughts. When affected by strong emotions, we can’t see clearly and our mind becomes clouded.
In this moment, we are prone to ascribe properties to the object that are not accurate. For example, when people see a peacock, they will ascribe vanity or pride to them, but objectively they are simply birds with big and colorful feathers. In another, more serious case we are prone to view death as evil or devastating. However, objectively speaking, death is not evil; it is only a change denoted by the failure of biological functioning.
Simply speaking, we are overburdening our thoughts with impressions, which can lead us to take the wrong actions or say something that isn’t true and hurt others in the process. The biggest tragedy is that we are hurting ourselves without knowing it, as frequent, harmful impressions can lead us into conditions such as estrangement or anxiety.
Meditation: How to Deal With Impressions
The most important thing to know when dealing with impressions is their subjective aspect. Understand that your impressions are only yours, and as such they are connected with the creation of your worldview. Examining your impression means examining your worldview. Ask yourself why do you think that way? Is that impression right? Where did I find this impression? How am I being influenced into false thinking?
These questions can help you to achieve calmness and mindfulness in order to find an answer. You will notice that your perspective on these questions will begin to change and you will attain an objective perspective when considering future thoughts and emotions. Our minds are the greatest tools when facing impressions, because we can use our minds to uncover the true nature of things as purely subjective. When perceiving things objectively, you will deal with objects as they truly are, rather than as you falsely perceive them to be.
Examine your impressions every day. You can do this before you go to sleep, or when you wake up first thing in the morning. Ask yourself what impressions did you obtain? Were there any feelings that triggered those impressions? If you long for something, ask yourself why do you want it so badly? Is it simply because you want to be acknowledged and appreciated?
The questions we can ask ourselves are countless, and examining every impression can lead to further questions. However, the most useful question that will break this cycle of wrong impressions is: why do I think this way?
