Thinking is human, and everyone, at some moment or another, is burdened with one or more thoughts, ranging from the seemingly insignificant to the frightening. What makes us human is the process of thinking and ruminating even when we are not consciously willing to do it.
However, some thoughts are harmful to our mental health, such as thoughts that bring about anxiety, self-harm, or sticky memories of tragic experiences that keep our brains captive to the point where we can’t get them out of our heads.
It is not impossible to get something off your mind; the reason it is still there is usually that you are trying to get those thoughts off your mind in the wrong way, that is, by trying to forget them. Here’s the deal: the reason thoughts endure is most likely because you strive to prevent them from coming up.
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The truth about our minds and thoughts is that the more we try to get something off our minds and stop thinking about it, the more space it takes up in our minds. This is not to imply that there aren’t ways to get something off your mind; in fact, that is the point of this post.
But, before we get into how to permanently erase things off our minds, let’s look at why some thoughts keep coming back no matter how hard we try to get rid of them.
Why Can’t We Get Some Thoughts Off Our Minds?
It’s certainly fair to say that we’ve all tried to push something out of our heads at some point, even as children, but the more we try, the harder the thought hits again. These thoughts might range from insignificant to scary and disturbing ones.
Perhaps an experience such as a traumatic event or an embarrassing moment that feels painful to remember or nervousness due to things that are yet to come in a couple of days or weeks ahead. However, why can’t we just get those thoughts off our heads? Carl Jung made the reason simple, according to him:
What you resist, persists.
In reality, what you resist persists, and it can only be removed when you embrace or tackle it. After a relationship breakup, it’s normal to be out of reality and claim that the breakup never happened, or that our spouse is merely kidding.
The result of this is that we keep expecting them to send us a text saying it was a joke, but this never happens, which prolongs the healing process. If, however, we had accepted that the relationship was over, the healing process would have been much quicker and we would have been able to move on with our lives in due time.
Another instance of trying to resist hurt is following the loss of a loved one; the shock is always so intense that our defense mechanism to the sadness is to refuse to accept that it happened (resistance), but, once again, the sooner we accept that it happened, the better it will always be.
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How To Permanently Get Something Off Your Mind
Without awareness, no genuine change occurs. Many other people also experience the challenge of having things stick in their minds, but only a small percentage are completely aware or cognizant of it, and only a small percentage take action to get it off their minds. that being said, to permanently clear your thoughts, you should:
Accept The Situation
As previously indicated, you must recognize that what occurred actually occurred. Allow the thought to flow and do not try to stop it; otherwise, it will just grow stronger; accept that life is not all roses and that life is also unfair to everyone else; people who appear to have no problems only know how to disguise their problems behind a smile.
Be Real With Yourself
The next step is to embrace reality; for example, if your stuck thoughts are the result of the loss of a loved one or a relationship breakup, accept that they will never return no matter what; this alone can hasten your recovery process faster than you think; you can only get things off your mind and move on when you embrace reality about the situation. You can only get something off your mind when you stop forcing yourself to forget about it.
Tackle It
There are various ways to deal with different situations, depending on the cause of the thought that keeps running through your mind. Dealing with it can be as simple as not forcing yourself to forget it, but rather giving it time to pass on its own. There are also other ways to deal with it, 15 of which are listed below.
15 Ways To Get Your Mind Off Something And Stop Thinking About It
After coming to terms with the fact that what happened did happen and that it is an aspect of life over which you have no control, you may now proceed to address it in the 15 methods listed below.
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Divert The Thoughts
The most effective technique to get a disturbing thought off your mind is to divert it. Take your attention away from the things that are bothering you and redirect it to something more enjoyable and meaningful. It could be excitement about an upcoming cool program or the nice things that have lately happened to you.
Switch It To Gratitude
Another great approach to clear your mind of negative energy is to consider it from a new viewpoint. For example, if you have lost a loved one, consider it from the perspective of ‘the person who died might be me,’ and then be grateful for life. There is always something to be grateful for in every tragedy; focus your concentration on that one thing to be grateful for.
Hide All Triggers
You may not have given this much attention yet, so why not check around your house for any items that could act as a trigger or reminder to bring the thought back into your mind and get rid of them? If they are too valuable to get rid of, it is advisable to keep them hidden for the time being until you have stabilized.
Give it Less Importance
Another smart approach to get something off your mind is to give it less importance and attention; the more we value something, the more we think about it. So, the next time the thought comes to you, visualize it as something minor and shift your emphasis to the significant things you have in your possession and be grateful for them.
Change Environment
Perhaps the thought is the result of a traumatic experience that occurred in the area where you live; if so, it is critical to temporarily or permanently leave your place because there will undoubtedly be triggers that will cause the thoughts to return. Trying out new environments never goes out of style, and it positively improves a lot of things.
Practice Mindfulness
You should also ensure that you are continuously attentive and aware of what is going on in your mind; being able to divert a thought at any time begins with being aware. If you find yourself returning to those thoughts, bring your attention back to what you are doing right now and shift your thinking focus to better things that are valuable to you.
Take A Stroll
There are numerous advantages to stretching our bodies and going for a walk. If you can’t get your mind off something, it’s always a good idea to go for a walk and stretch your body. It’s a great way because the more things you see while moving, the more things you have to process in your mind, leaving no room for that particular disturbing thoughts.
Listen To Music
When words fail, music will always be there to fill the void. Music relieves a lot of pressure, but few people are aware of this. To gain better outcomes in getting your mind off those stressful things, listen to music while taking a stroll.
Positive Affirmations
Positive affirmation is another underutilized tool that people can use to deal with day-to-day challenges; what you vibrate, you attract. That is why world professionals usually advise affirmation. What you’d keep repeating varies entirely on the situation though, but a good example might be repeating that the particular thought is too minor to bother you or your mental health.
Shower
A good shower can be all you need to take your mind off something sad. Taking a shower will relax and revitalize your body, and you will notice a change. Give it a shot; it’s worth trying.
Meditate
Have you considered a 20-minute meditation and how beneficial it may be in clearing your mind? Of course, meditation is beneficial not just for getting things off your mind, but it also aids in the relief of stress both physically and mentally. Find 20 minutes to sit in a comfortable position, breathing and focusing your thoughts on each inhale and exhale.
Laugh
Yeah, you may have forgotten to check your favorite comedian’s channel to see whether he has posted a new video. Laughing and watching entertaining videos can be really beneficial. Depression and mental health issues are real. Laughing is an excellent approach to stop thinking about something while also making you physically and mentally well.
Socialize
Engaging with others is often a fantastic method to get your mind off something. People are unlikely to be aware of what is bothering your thoughts, therefore engaging with them will be therapeutic in this regard. go to the movies or a football viewing house, go to the gym, return to your hobbies and try new ones. You’ll soon notice those thoughts have vanished from your mind.
Practice Self-Love
You can always regret loving someone else, but you can never regret loving yourself. Start prioritizing yourself and doing activities that bring you joy. Let rid of people-pleasing and approval-seeking behavior, and disconnect from things and people who may be disrupting your mental health. You can learn something from this post about self-love. Life is always brighter when you are self-sufficient.
Pray
Take it to God in prayer. you’ve been cheating yourself all this while by not praying about things happening in your life and you’d only be cheating yourself again if you don’t do it this time.
Related: How to get over a breakup
Related: Am I being depressed or just dramatic?
Also check out: 10 things that we can never get back when gone.
See wikiHow on how to stop thinking about something
