Coping with negative emotions

Quick tip here. We all experience thoughts about negative things. This can range from guilt to shame, to suicidality. Yikes. For someone like me, where I spent years allowing suicidal thoughts exist in my mind, it can be tough to not let them win. Here's my way of releasing those thoughts and emotions.

Mantras

I am not my body. I am not my thoughts. I am something more than this.

You've seen me write this before. But this helps separate myself from the issue directly. Because...

I am not the problem. The problem is the problem.

A great sentence one of my older therapists shared with me. I beleive it comes from Narrative Therapy, which I love and you should check out if you're interested.

Release

Next is to find a way to release these thoughts into the world. If kept inside, the boil, ferment, spoil.

Talk to a rubber duck

This comes from the programming industry. The tale goes, that a programmer should first try to explain their problem to a rubber duck before seeking a real person. This is because, simply attempting to explain the problem outside your head will help you lead to conclusions.

Write it down

Similar to a rubber duck, writing it down is a safe easy way to let it out. This comes with some fun variations. If you change the audience you imagine yourself writing for, you will process the problem differently.

Try writing your problem to: 1. Your self 2. Your best friend 3. Your mother 4. A support group 5. The entire internet

You might be surprised how you change your wording to explain the problem.

Share with a real human

Find someone you trust and feel safe with. Make sure to ask yourself: "What kind of response am I hoping for?" Are you essentailly seeking validation, to vent, or are you looking for solutions?

Do not let your negativity win! 🤗