Tame the thought monster
Choose a thought that you find particularly bothersome.
Label your thought as a thought: If you are thinking, “Bob is a jerk,” say to yourself, “I am having the thought that Bob is a jerk” or “I am telling myself the story that Bob is a jerk.”
Appreciate what your mind is trying to do: Say to yourself, “I really get that you are trying to be of use. You are trying to keep me out of trouble and make sense of a difficult situation. Thanks.”
Repeat your negative thought out loud: Say it with a silly voice, such as Eeyore from Winnie-the-Pooh.
Notice when you are being “hooked” by the thought: Choose to become unhooked.
Notice when you are “buying into” a judgmental or blaming thought: Ask yourself, have I bought into this thought before? Is this an old and familiar pattern? Will buying into this story lead to a more fulfilling life, or will it lead to more pain and suffering in the long run?