We’ve all been trapped in a negative thought spiral where one negative thing happens and we start heading down a rabbit hole with it – overthinking it all. What we need is some positive upward spiralling.
One of the classic negative spirals is when a friend doesn’t reply immediately to a message. Off we go with the, ‘what have I done? Nobody likes me’ type thoughts.
There are countless other examples, like when you forget your keys, or get stuck in traffic and think you’re going to be late for an appointment. The negativity can really build into despair until you begin to think the world’s got it in for you.
Get Positive Upward Spiralling Instead
What if you could spin things the other way? The concept of the ‘Positive Upward Spiral’ turns such negativity on its head by building on the practice of focusing on the positive things in your life.
It’s an idea that has been developed from an article in ‘American Psychologist’ and picked up on by various content creators in the wellness space – like @katina.bajaj who talks about focusing on small positives in ordinary day-to-day living. Something we often ignore when we’re busy drowning ourselves in small negatives.
Some examples of Positive Upward Spiralling
- Focus on how much you’re enjoying your morning coffee or tea
- Notice sunlight through trees
- Enjoy how wonderful your cat is
- Look at the blueness of the sky
- The beauty of a leaf
- A message from a close friend
It sounds simple – and it is. There are plenty of other straightforward experiences and situations like these. Gratitude and mindfulness is key to this approach and it should be done intentionally, with purpose, so that you interrupt that negative cycle and our natural instinct for negative bias. If this is done more frequently, as a daily habit, it helps restructure our brains and build positive neural pathways – tapping into neuroplasticity, where these pathways can develop and strengthen and our habits begin to change.
We then begin to naturally feel more calm and optimistic.
Dr Alice Mills Mai, Ph.D., LPCC-S, founder of Centering Wholeness Counselling believes that positive upward spiralling relies on the brain’s ability to be shaped by repetition. She says, ‘the more we focus on positive experiences, the more our nervous system learns to orient towards safety, possibility and hope’.
How to Start Positive Upward Spiralling
- Each morning, notice one pleasant or comforting thing (eg nice to have a roof over your head, your lovely warm coffee)
- Practice consistently, not perfectly –for 30 secs or so if possible. This will build new neural pathways.
- At night, notice now cosy you are in bed or how nice your meal was
- Pair each moment with a physical sensation – eg pinch your thumb and first two fingers together, take a slow breath and name what’s good
If you do feel a bit of negativity or doubt edging its way in, just notice it without criticism, being a passive observer. Then redirect your attention to one thing that’s working for you in your life. Remember gratitude. You might have to search for some things but you have a lot going for you. If you can walk, amazing. Can you see? Excellent! Have you got a partner or children? Marvellous.
Who can this benefit?
- Those struggling with overthinking
- People who are anxious or with chronic stress
- Those recovering from a trauma
The beauty of this process, according to Dr Mai, is it retrains your nervous system to expect balance rather than crisis, which helps resilience become an actual lived experience, not just an idea.
For more information and alternative approaches on anxiety, you can visit my acceptance and anxiety blog.
Help from DOCwellness
If you’d like to work more on positive upward spiralling or have any issues with anxiety, overthinking or are feeling uncertain, afraid or negative in any way, Contact us today or call/text 07778 613268 if you would like to discuss things more.