Three Ways To Stop Intrusive Thoughts . . .  in 3 minutes or less
Takeaway Summary:

• Intrusive thoughts can be managed with practical strategies that promote mental clarity and emotional balance.
• Techniques like mindfulness, positive affirmations, and cognitive reframing can help reduce the power of intrusive thoughts.
• Consistency and self-compassion are key to overcoming these challenging thought patterns.

1. Practice Mindfulness to Stay Present
Intrusive thoughts often gain power when we dwell on the past or worry about the future. Mindfulness helps you focus on the present moment, reducing the hold of these unwanted thoughts. Here’s how to get started:

• Acknowledge the Thought Without Judgment: Instead of fighting intrusive thoughts, observe them as passing mental events. For example, you might say to yourself, "This is just a thought, not a fact."
• Use Grounding Techniques: Engage your senses to anchor yourself in the present. Try naming five things you see, four things you can touch, three things you hear, two things you smell, and one thing you taste.
• Practice Deep Breathing: Slow, intentional breaths can calm your nervous system and create mental space to respond thoughtfully rather than react impulsively.

Mindfulness encourages acceptance and helps you break free from the cycle of overthinking.
Set a timer for 3 minutes. If this technique does not work, move to the next one!

2. Use Positive Affirmations to Reframe Your Thinking
Positive affirmations can counteract intrusive thoughts by reinforcing empowering beliefs. Research shows that affirmations work best when they align with your core values and are repeated consistently. Here’s how to use them effectively:

• Choose Affirmations That Resonate: Select phrases that feel meaningful to you. For example:"My thoughts do not define me. I am in control of my actions."
• Repeat Them Regularly: Speak or write your affirmations daily, even when intrusive thoughts aren’t present.
• Pair Affirmations with Action: For example, if your affirmation is about staying calm, practice it alongside relaxation techniques like meditation or yoga.

Affirmations help shift your focus from negative thought patterns to constructive ones.
Set a timer for 3 minutes. If this technique does not work, move to the next one

3. Challenge and Reframe Negative Thoughts
Intrusive thoughts often feel overwhelming because we mistake them for truths. By challenging these thoughts and replacing them with more balanced perspectives, you can regain control over your mind. Here’s how:

• Identify Cognitive Distortions: Notice patterns like catastrophizing ("This will ruin everything!") or black-and-white thinking ("I always fail"). Recognizing these distortions is the first step toward change.
• Ask Yourself Questions: When an intrusive thought arises, challenge it by asking:"Is this thought based on facts or assumptions?"
• Replace the Thought: Substitute the intrusive thought with a more constructive one. For instance, replace "I’ll never succeed" with "I’ve overcome challenges before; I can handle this too."

This process helps diminish the emotional intensity of intrusive thoughts over time.
Key tip - Writing a journal for 3 minutes works for most of my students!
Action Steps:

1. Set aside 3 minutes daily to practice mindfulness exercises like journaling, grounding or deep breathing.
2. Write down three positive affirmations that align with your values and repeat them every morning.
3. Keep a journal where you challenge intrusive thoughts by identifying distortions and reframing them with balanced perspectives.

By implementing these strategies consistently, you can reduce the impact of intrusive thoughts and cultivate greater mental resilience.


References

MCQueen, A. (2006-10-01). Experimental manipulations of self-affirmation: A
systematic review. Self and identity, 5(4), 289-354.doi:10.1080/15298860600805325

Koole, S. (1999). The cessation of rumination through self-affirmation. Journal of
personality and social psychology, 77(1),1

Coehn G L (2009) Recursive processes in self-affirmation: Intervening to close the
minority achievement gap, Science, 2009 - sciencemag.org, https://ed.stanford.edu/
sites/default/files/recursive_processes_final_science.pdf

"Nothing will ever be attempted if all possible objections must first be overcome."
- Samuel Johnson

One of my friends sent me this lovely quote. It reminded me of the many risks and obstacles we face in life. We often are paralyzed to take the actions to make our lives more fulfilling, energized and joyful. Many of us are scared about the future and the word “change”. If we want to reduce the impact of negative stress in our lives, we have to be aware of how much we tend to take things personally that actually are not personal. We rush through life, meeting deadlines and missing out the fun aspects of our life, our loving relationships and the beauty around us. We literally shape our brain to run in this treadmill of more stress, anxiety and unhappiness.

Our brain is plastic – that means both the function and its structure can be changed quickly and permanently to become positive and joyful. Even a simple act of spending a few minutes with our loved ones, indulging in our favorite art activity or thinking of our last vacation has the ability to energize and relax us. We often wallow in self-pity and self-doubt and don’t fully realize our strengths and our inner resilient nature - having the capacity to bounce back when things go wrong, and ability to enjoy life even when we have pain, stress and challenges.
Science has shown us that these practices can shape our brain and enhance our well-being. Make time for these three important activities on a daily and weekly basis. These practices are as important as healthy eating and hydration in managing stress and building your resilience over time!

1. Physical Activity – Yes! If you are fond of your 60-90 minute yoga or dance class, more power to you! Recent research has shown even brisk walking 15-30 minutes daily promotes stress reduction and is good for your brain. Regular and moderate exercise is not only good to lose and control your body weight, it helps us change our brains to feel good and enjoy our lives.
2. Social circle – many of us we do have family and friends/ co-workers who appear to demotivate us or “suck” our happiness. We have a choice. I am not suggesting that we abandon these people. Look around and find family, friends and co-workers that are supportive, loving and positive. I have a list of uplifting and positive friends who get phone calls and emails regularly from me. I schedule walks and fun activities with local friends to energize me. I also support them in their challenges.

• Who supports you? Who do you support?
• What fun activities do you participate with your family and friends?
• What are your favorite volunteer activities?
• How do you play with your children/nieces/ nephews/ grandchildren?
• Do you indulge in random and anonymous acts of kindness? 
  

3. Meditation & Mindfulness – You saw that coming! Didn’t you?! This is a blog on meditation and mindfulness. What did you expect? :-) Meditation and other contemplative practices are powerful ways to become aware and uncover our inner strength and resilience. Many people fear that meditation takes several months and years to master. Research shows that you get benefits within a few days and weeks of training. There is also a misconception that you have to meditate hours on a daily basis. Twelve to fifteen minute sessions of meditation, 3-5 times a week, have shown to improve attention and working memory among participants in meditation studies. Make time for gardening or just relaxing in a local park.

Combine these activities. Go to a meditation or yoga class with your best friend. Walking meditation in a local garden or labyrinth may be a beautiful break from your daily stress. Help out with a local 5k race. Most important – don’t just read this article. Share it with a friend or family member and spend time with them! Take Action! Now!

My friend Vicki created the beautiful CORE graphic for us! The acronym CORE serves as a reminder of the components of  Resilience: 
C –  5 Cs - Compassion, Courage, Collaboration, Creativity and Critical Thinking
O – Optimism and Hope
R – Resilience
E - Energy - healthy eating, meditation and physical activity
References

R J Davidson, B S McEwen, Social influences on neuroplasticity: Stress and interventions to promote well-being Nat Neurosci. Apr 15, 2012; 15(5): 689–695.doi: 10.1038/nn.3093

Steve Paulson, Richard Davidson, Amishi Jha and Jon Kabat-Zinn Becoming conscious: the science of mindfulness, doi: 10.1111/nyas.12203 Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci. 1303 (2013) 87–104