Do you struggle to stop negativity from taking over your thoughts and affecting your mood? You’re certainly not alone. Most of us experience moments when worries, self-doubt or stressful situations seem to play on repeat in our minds. Left unchecked, these negative thought patterns can influence not only how we feel emotionally, but also how we show up at work, interact with loved ones and approach everyday challenges.

Negative thinking can be surprisingly persistent. Whether it’s pressure at work, relationship difficulties, financial worries or memories of past experiences, our brains are naturally wired to pay more attention to perceived threats than positive moments. While this instinct once helped humans survive, it can leave us stuck in cycles of anxiety, overthinking and self-criticism in modern life.

The good news is that although we can’t always control what happens to us, we can learn to change how we respond. Developing simple mental habits that interrupt negative thinking and reinforce positive emotional responses can gradually build resilience and improve overall wellbeing. Like any skill, it takes practice, but small, consistent actions often have the biggest impact over time.

One particularly effective approach comes from Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) and the concept of “anchors”. An anchor is an internal emotional response triggered by an external stimulus, which could be anything from a familiar song or a particular scent to a specific phrase spoken in a certain tone. These anchors are powerful because they reconnect us with emotions we’ve previously experienced – whether uplifting or unhelpful. A favourite perfume might instantly remind you of a happy holiday, while a certain smell or sound may transport you back to a stressful or upsetting experience.

The key is to recognise when negative anchors are influencing your thoughts and consciously replace them with more positive associations. By practising the following techniques, you can begin to interrupt unhelpful thinking patterns, strengthen positive emotional responses and create a greater sense of calm, confidence and control.

Here are five handy strategies you can use to begin to crush any negative anchor feelings you are carrying and move forward with more positive anchors.

Write down the past negative response

Grab a pen and paper and recall the emotions you feel in relation to the stimulus; the detail and any sounds, tastes and smells. Breathe in to a count of 2, breathe out to a count of 4. This will stimulate your vagus nerve and slow your heart pace down if it is raised from even thinking about the anchor. Then take the paper somewhere safe to burn to begin to get rid of these negative feelings.

Replace this with a positive experience 

Put your feet on the floor and take a deep breath in. Hold it, before breathing out, slowly. Think of the most positive experience you have had in your life and picture it as a big cinema experience with the best surround sound and wraparound, 360-degree vision ever. Feel deeply how good it felt as you recall it now. You can then ‘anchor’ it by pressing your right forefinger and thumb together. You will be able to access this feeling when you press your right thumb and forefinger together. Repeat it often to harness its power in uncertainty. 

Stand up

Stand tall by imagining there is a string at the top of your head that pulls you up straight; it has power to make you feel more confident. Put your shoulders back, relax them a little, and look either straight ahead or up. Push your hips forward slightly. Now add a smile, from your toes up. Wiggle the toes. Stay like this for at least a minute and see how your mood changes. This not only works with being stood up, you can try it when sitting too. Simply changing your physical position has the power to change your mood in 2020.

Just look up

When we’re anxious or overwhelmed, our gaze naturally narrows and drops. Simply lifting your head and looking towards the horizon or the sky can help interrupt that pattern and encourage a broader perspective. While it’s not a cure, pairing this simple physical movement with slow breathing and a positive affirmation such as “Things are looking up” can help shift your attention away from negative thoughts and back into the present moment.

Smile

Try it now, smile! A smile is a direct feedback that you are relaxed, but a tensed smile is a grimace. Smile while doing an activity – it is simple and effective because you have no need to be happy to smile, but can reap the benefits. It might feel a little unnatural at first, but sometimes the simple act of smiling is enough to gently lift your mood.

Integrate anchors into your daily routine

To make these positive anchors truly effective, weave them into everyday habits. Pair your morning cup of tea or coffee with a brief moment of mindfulness, recalling a positive memory or repeating an affirmation that resonates with you. Over time, these familiar routines become reliable triggers for calm and positive feelings.

You can also attach an anchor to small, repeated actions such as taking a short walk, listening to an uplifting song, stretching between meetings or simply taking three slow, intentional breaths before opening your laptop each morning. By consistently linking positive emotions to everyday activities, you gradually train your brain to respond with greater calm, focus and optimism, even when negative thoughts begin to surface.

Garry Jones is the author of A Life Without Fear and is a transformational coach, martial arts master and international speaker. Through his unique experiences in the worlds of corporate and small business, martial arts, physical health, mental health, and spiritual development he creates alchemical change in his clients.