How to Change the Way You Think

Jan 20, 2026

By Will Moore

In my teen years, I was convinced my brain was broken and the world was against me. My desire for perfection meant any stumble or sign of failure was a sign of my utter uselessness in the universe, draining my energy and sucking any joy and happiness from my life.

After 25 years studying behavioral science, I now live a completely different life. The difference? Learning how to change the way you think.

When you master this skill, you transform not just your mindset, but your career, relationships, physical health, and emotional well-being. The key is developing a "growth-owner mindset" where you believe you can overcome any obstacle. With this mindset, failure isn't just part of life—it's MANDATORY for growth!

Let me show you simple, science-backed tips on how to change the way you think.

Upgrades You'll Earn From This Blog:

Gain clarity on practical steps for changing negative thinking patterns
Learn innovative, science-backed methods to transform the way you think
Discover how to make thought transformation simple, fun, and automatic

How to Change the Way You Think? 9 Steps

Step 1: Which is the First Step in Thinking Change? Identify Your Negative Thinking Patterns

The first step in changing the way you think is to recognize and identify your negative thinking patterns. Common negative thinking patterns include overgeneralizing, catastrophizing, and thinking in absolutes.

For example, you might think, "I always mess up," or "Nothing ever goes right for me." Understanding how to change the way I think begins with this critical awareness.

To overcome this, practice self-awareness. Write down your thoughts in a journal. This method helps you identify negative patterns and lowers depression.

A study published in Elsevier shows that writing about personal stressful experiences helps lower depressive symptoms. By getting thoughts out of your head and onto paper, you gain perspective and disconnect from their emotional charge.

Tips to Follow:

Keep a Thought Journal: Write down your negative thoughts as they occur. For example, if you find yourself thinking, "I'm terrible at my job," jot it down.

Reflect on Patterns: Look for common themes in your negative thinking. You might notice you often think negatively about your abilities or relationships.

Ask Questions: Challenge the validity of your negative thoughts by asking, "Is this really true?" Often, you'll find these thoughts are based on fears or assumptions rather than facts.

Step 2: Challenge and Replace Negative Thoughts

Once you identify your negative thoughts, the next step is to challenge and replace them with positive ones. This is where you truly learn how to change your way of thinking at a foundational level. Cognitive restructuring is a powerful technique used by mental health professionals worldwide.

According to an article published in the journal Cognitive Therapy and Research, individuals who practiced cognitive restructuring experienced significant improvements in their overall mental health.

Another study in the Journal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry found that cognitive-behavioral techniques significantly reduced the frequency of unwanted intrusive thoughts.

Checkout our list of Bad Habits

Question the validity of your negative thoughts and consider alternative, more positive perspectives. Mastering how to change the way you think through cognitive restructuring can rewire your brain to think more positively over time.

Tips to Follow:

Resolve Your Thoughts: When you have a negative thought, ask yourself if it's based on facts or assumptions. For example, if you think, "I'll never be successful," ask yourself, "What evidence do I have for this belief?"

Find Positive Alternatives: Replace negative thoughts with positive or neutral ones. Instead of thinking, "I can't do this," try thinking, "This is challenging, but I can learn and improve." Reframing the perspective works like magic to become a happy person.

Practice Self-Compassion: Treat yourself with the kindness and understanding you would offer a friend. If your friend made a mistake, you wouldn't say, "You're a failure," but rather, "It's okay; everyone makes mistakes."

BONUS: Transform negative patterns using our comprehensive CBRP Mental Framework

Step 3: Practice Mindfulness and Stay in the Present Moment

Mindfulness helps you stay focused on the present moment, reducing unnecessary stress caused by dwelling on the past or worrying about the future. When you're learning how to change the way you think, staying present is essential.

Incorporate mindfulness practices like meditation and deep breathing into your daily routine to help control and change your thoughts.

A study published in JAMA Internal Medicine found that mindfulness meditation programs can improve anxiety, depression, and pain, highlighting the broad benefits of staying present.

Dr. Madhav Goyal - The lead author of this study also told TIME magazine that people who practiced mindful meditation saw a 5-10% improvement in anxiety symptoms and a 10-20% reduction in depressive symptoms compared to placebo groups.

Tips to Follow:

Set aside time each day for mindfulness meditation. Even just 10 minutes can make a significant difference. Apps like Headspace and Calm offer guided meditations to get you started.

Use deep breathing exercises to calm your mind and focus on the present. Try the 4-7-8 technique: inhale for 4 seconds, hold for 7 seconds, and exhale for 8 seconds. This technique increases parasympathetic activity, which helps you calm down.

Engage in activities like yoga or tai chi that promote mindfulness. These activities combine physical movement with mental focus, helping you stay present.

Step 4: Develop a Growth Mindset

A growth mindset is the belief that your abilities and intelligence can be developed through dedication and hard work. Understanding how to think with a growth-oriented perspective can transform your thinking patterns, making you more adaptable and open to new experiences. When you learn how to change the way you think through this lens, obstacles become stepping stones rather than roadblocks.

Tips to Follow:

Embrace Challenges: See challenges as opportunities to learn and grow. For example, if you struggle with public speaking, view each speaking opportunity as a chance to improve.

Learn from Criticism: Use feedback as a tool for improvement. Instead of taking criticism personally, see it as valuable information to help you grow.

Celebrate Effort: Focus on the effort rather than the outcome. Praise yourself for your hard work, regardless of the result. This reinforces the idea that effort leads to improvement.

Step 5: Use Positive Affirmations

Positive affirmations are statements that can help you challenge and overcome negative thoughts. By repeating affirmations daily, you can rewire your brain for positivity and effectively change the way you think. Examples include "I am capable," "I am worthy," and "I am improving every day."

This seemingly trivial tip is a very powerful tool that can help you have a positive outlook on life.

This has been validated by a Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience study that found that self-affirmation activates the brain's reward system, thus enhancing positive thinking.

So when you practice daily affirmations, you're not just telling yourself feel-good phrases. You're actually training your brain to be more positive by tapping into its biological reward pathways.

Tips to Follow:

Create a List of Affirmations: Write down a list of positive affirmations that resonate with you.

Repeat Daily: Say these affirmations out loud each morning to set a positive tone for the day.

Believe in Your Affirmations: Truly believe in the affirmations you're saying. The more you believe them, the more effective they will be.

Step 6: Surround Yourself with Positive Influences

Your environment plays a significant role in shaping your thoughts. When you're working on how to change the way you think, the people around you matter more than you might realize.

A study published in BMC Psychiatry shows that during the COVID-19 pandemic, individuals with supportive social networks were more likely to experience positive mental health outcomes.

Additionally, adults who had support from family had better mental health than people who relied more on sources other than family for support.

Therefore, surround yourself with positive, supportive people who uplift and inspire you. Build emotionally healthy relationships. Engage in activities and join communities that foster a positive mindset.

Tips to Follow:

Choose Your Company Wisely: Spend time with people who have a positive outlook on life. Their positivity can influence your thinking.

Join Supportive Communities: Participate in groups or clubs that promote personal growth and positivity, such as a book club or a fitness group.

Limit Negative Influences: Reduce time spent with people or in consistently negative or draining environments.

Step 7: Create a Daily Gratitude Practice

Gratitude has been shown to improve mental health and well-being. Maintaining a daily gratitude journal can shift your focus from negative to positive aspects of life and is a powerful tool when learning how to change your mind about situations. Write down three things you are grateful for each day to cultivate a positive outlook.

Read our Interesting Article on Fun Gratitude Activities for Adults

This activity is very beneficial, and a systematic review and meta-analysis published in the National Library of Medicine showed that participants who underwent gratitude interventions had greater satisfaction with life (6.86% higher), greater feelings of gratitude (up to 4% higher scores), better mental health (5.8% higher), and fewer symptoms of anxiety and depression (7.76% and 6.89% lower scores, respectively)

Tips to Follow:

Keep a Gratitude Journal: Each day, write down three things to be grateful for. This practice can help shift your focus from what's going wrong to what's going right.

Express Gratitude to Others: Take time to thank the people in your life who have made a positive impact. This can strengthen your relationships and enhance your own sense of well-being.

Reflect on Positive Experiences: Spend a few minutes each day thinking about positive experiences you've had. This can reinforce a positive mindset.

🚀 BONUS: Check our free to download Gratitude list to unlock positive mindset

Step 8: Identify and Replace Limiting Beliefs

Beyond surface-level thoughts, uncover the limiting beliefs restricting your potential—deeply ingrained assumptions like "I'm not smart enough" or "Success isn't for people like me."

These beliefs operate in the background, sabotaging your efforts before you start. Negative thoughts are surface reactions ("I messed up"), while limiting beliefs are core convictions ("I'm a bad public speaker and always will be").

Tips to Follow:

Track Your Self-Talk: Pay attention to phrases like "I can't," "I'm not," or "I'll never"—these signal limiting beliefs.

Notice Avoidance Patterns: What opportunities do you consistently turn down? Your avoidance reveals the beliefs underneath.

Gather Counter-Evidence: List times when the opposite was true. If you believe "I'm terrible with money," recall times you made good financial decisions.

Reframe with Growth Language: Transform "I can't do this" into "I can't do this yet, but I'm learning."

Step 9: Build New Thinking Habits

Understanding how to change the way you think is powerful, but lasting transformation requires turning new thought patterns into automatic habits. Your current thinking patterns are habits—neural pathways strengthened through repetition.

Tips to Follow:

Start with Micro Habits: Pick ONE new thought pattern to focus on. Practice catching yourself and reframing just once per day to start.

Use Habit Stacking: Attach your new thinking habit to existing routines. Practice affirmations after brushing teeth, or do gratitude reflections at lunch.

Track Your Progress: Use a simple tracker to mark each day you practice. This visual representation triggers reward centers in your brain.

Celebrate Small Wins: Every time you catch and reframe a negative thought, acknowledge the victory. This releases dopamine and reinforces the habit.

The first few weeks require conscious effort, but stick with it and the new patterns become natural. When you build solid thinking habits, they create momentum flowing into every area of your life—better career decisions, more authentic relationships, more energy, and greater emotional balance.

How to Change Your Mind from Unwanted Thoughts?

Unwanted thoughts can be intrusive and distressing. To control them, practice mindfulness and cognitive behavioral techniques. These methods help you recognize and reframe negative thoughts, allowing you to take proactive steps in steering your mind toward positivity. Understanding how to change the way you think includes learning to manage these intrusive thoughts effectively, which ultimately helps you change your mind about challenging situations.

Steps to Follow:

Acknowledge the Thought: Recognize that the unwanted thought is there without judging it.

Refocus Your Mind: Shift your attention to something positive or neutral. For example, focus on your breathing or engage in a favorite activity.

Use Cognitive Techniques: Techniques such as thought stopping, where you literally say "stop" when a negative thought arises, can help interrupt the cycle of unwanted thoughts.

Mindfulness Exercises: Engage in mindfulness exercises to stay present and reduce the impact of negative thoughts.

Seek Professional Help: If bad thoughts persist, consider seeking help from a therapist who can provide additional strategies and support.

How to Change the Way I Think About Myself?

The way you think about yourself shapes your reality. Negative self-talk erodes your confidence and holds you back from becoming the best version of yourself. It's time to break free from that toxic inner voice and change the way you think about who you are and what you're capable of.

Start by noticing the harsh criticism and negativity you direct at yourself. "I'm not good enough." "I'll never succeed." Sound familiar? Challenge those destructive thoughts by asking yourself, "Would I speak that way to someone I love?" Chances are, you wouldn't. Treat yourself with the same kindness and compassion you show others.

Next, reframe your negative self-perceptions with positive affirmations. As Maya Angelou said, "If you don't like something, change it. If you can't change it, change your attitude." Repeat mantras like, "I am a person worthy of love and success." This rewires your brain to embrace a more positive self-image.

Finally, celebrate your strengths and accomplishments, no matter how small. Kept a commitment to yourself today? Pat yourself on the back. Acknowledging your wins, instead of dismissing them, reinforces a healthier self-perception.

The path to self-love begins with changing your inner dialogue. Be patient and persistent – you're undoing years of negative programming. But as you embrace kinder, more constructive self-talk, your reality will start to shift. You've got this!

Conclusion: How to Change the Way You Think

Start by identifying and challenging your negative thoughts, practicing mindfulness, and surrounding yourself with positive influences. Use daily affirmations to reinforce your new, positive thinking patterns, and cultivate gratitude to keep your focus on the good in your life. Remember, the journey of personal development is about progress, not perfection.

As you implement these strategies, you'll find your mind working for you instead of against you, leading to a more fulfilling and happier life. Understanding how to change your way of thinking is the foundation for transforming every aspect of your existence—from your career and relationships to your physical health and emotional well-being.

Embrace the process, be patient with yourself, and celebrate each small victory along the way. Your thoughts shape your reality, so choose to think positively and watch how your life transforms. You've got this! 🌟

🚀 READY TO TRANSFORM YOUR MINDSET INTO UNSTOPPABLE MOMENTUM?

You just learned how to change the way you think—but that's only scratching the surface of what's possible when you apply these strategies across all 5 Core Areas of Life.

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FAQs: How to Change the Way You Think

How to Think Positively?

Think positively by noticing your thoughts, challenging negative assumptions, and intentionally reframing situations. Focus on small wins, gratitude, and what you can control. Build habits that support optimism—sleep, movement, reflection—and remember: positivity isn’t denial, it’s choosing a constructive response.

How Do I Stop Bad Thoughts?

Stopping bad thoughts involves interrupting the negative thought cycle and replacing it with positive ones. Techniques such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and mindfulness can be highly effective. Focus on positive affirmations and mindfulness exercises to break the cycle of negative thinking.

What is the Best Way to Change Your Thoughts?

The best way to change your thoughts is by developing self-awareness, reframing negative thoughts positively, and consistently practicing new, positive thought patterns. You should check our blog on How to reinvent yourself.

Is it Possible to Change Your Way of Thinking?

Yes, it is possible to change your thinking. It involves recognizing and challenging negative or limiting beliefs, consistently practicing positive self-talk, and adopting a growth mindset to view failures as learning opportunities.

What is the Best Way to Change Your Thoughts?

If you're looking for the single most effective approach to how to change the way you think, it comes down to consistency and integration. The best way combines self-awareness (identifying negative patterns and limiting beliefs), cognitive restructuring (challenging and replacing those patterns), and daily practice through habit formation (mindfulness, affirmations, and gratitude).