8 Helpful Ways To Get Out Of A Negative Loop Fast

1. Stop thinking about and analyzing yourself:

When you stop all thinking processes you open a place of mindful choice of your next thought.

Usually, when I realize a string of dumb actions and decisions, I start self-analyzing, which never helped me to avoid the next dumb action.

When I spend much of my time thinking "how I am", I miss opportunities to make things right. These opportunities will always come up and be available to us to pick them up and act on them, but if we are focused on self analyzation all the time we will miss them.

What to do instead?

Focus on the reality without referring it to yourself and how you or others will see you.

For example: "I should offer my husband to prepare him a sandwich for work because if I don't, I am a selfish wife".

Instead: "How does my husband feel right now? what does he want and need? what would make him happy?"

It is not as simple as it seems when trying to think that way while your thoughts are clouded with self-analyzation.

2. Journal, brain dump:

When you are thinking in a loop about something it really helps to write it down.

Get honest with yourself. Sometimes I try to avoid looking at my own thoughts out of fear to see that I am not the person I would like to be, to see a person I don't like.

It is OK to write things down no matter how awful they are, you are only making it worse when avoiding and repressing.

When I write down all my thought non-stop for two pages I get to look at myself from outside.

After brain-dumping all of my thoughts that clouded my mind, it is much easier to focus on something new and different.

Write down all that is bothering you and move forward.

3. Affirmation meditation:

When I feel stuck in a loop of feelings and cannot see a way out I pick up my affirmation list or a recorded affirmation meditation and focus on it for 20-30 minutes. The goal here is to restart the thinking process, stop the loop and get something positive going.

My affirmation list includes phrases like:

I trust my inner guidance

Love if my guiding truth and I follow it

I allow myself to be loved

I am enough

I value what I do

I value myself

I see clearly the situation from both sides

I always hear what my loved one wants to say

These phrases are from "The BioEnergy Code" from www.thebioenergycode.com (no affiliate here, I do recommend it).

This meditation helped me get out of a negative self-talk loop a lot of times. I highly recommend trying it.

4. Get out for a RUN:

When I am full of emotions, thoughts, worries, and I feel stuck - getting out for a 20-minute run is a lifesaver.

Although, lately I hadn't done it because of the too-hot weather and a lot of laziness. But in more agreeable weather conditions it is a highly refreshing activity. It physically helps to lift your positive hormones, like dopamine, and get you out of depression.

5. Clean your house:

Oftentimes our thoughts are clouded because of a messy environment.

"A messy room equals a messy mind"

When I feel stuck in a loop and don't know what to do next, I often make a cleaning list and get all my home tidy and clean, all laundry and dishes are done, and only then do I feel relieved.

After doing this I feel that I have something to be proud of, and from this point, it is much easier to do the next thing in a positive direction.

6. Go outside and into nature:

When you are closed in the same environment, it is much harder to make a change in thinking. Try to change your environment, go see something new and inspiring, take a walk in the field or in the park. Open yourself for a new feeling, try a new place. Anywhere else from the usual place is good as long it is not a stressful place like a crowded bus or a loud street.

7. Go help a friend with physical work:

Do something that is not about you. If you have a friend that needs a hand in some kind of project, go help him, distract yourself from your own thoughts and emotions with a helpful activity. It is better to help with something physical rather than emotional because you don't want your own negative emotions to spill on someone you intend to help.

It is OK to feel off sometimes when you are with a friend, as long as your emotions are not becoming the center of your world and engulf your friend's world as well.

8. Get rid of old things:

Every time I feel stressed out, I go over all of my possessions and toss what I don't really need, what I don't use, or what does not make me happy.

A closet refresh always makes me feel better and lighter.

Too many things often can make you feel heavy.

I hope these tips were helpful, as they help me every time.

Share with me in a comment:

What is your #1 technique to get out of a loop?