Compartmentalize Negative Thoughts

Astronaut Scott Kelly spent most of 2015 in space and has just finished his memoir of the 340-day journey. In his book, Endurance – A Year in Space, a Lifetime of Discovery”, he writes, “I’ve learned to better compartmentalize, which doesn’t mean forgetting about feelings but instead means focusing on the things I can control and forgetting what I can’t.”

The ability to compartmentalize feelings is one of the most important personal skills we can acquire. To understand what we can change and what we can’t, and to bury that which we can not change, gives us the power to do more and better things in life. When our brain is busy fighting the frustration of negative things, it uses energy that we could be putting to good use for growth. Those conversations we have in our heads, the woulda, coulda, shoulda that are out of our hands should also be out of our heads.

Some people imagine a box in their heads where they stuff negative thoughts and lock it with a key. Others use self-discipline to turn off those broken records and think about things they CAN control. Still others do something active that will help them redirect their energy. Whatever trick you use to make this happen, hone the skill so that you can use it at will.

When something upsetting happens, give yourself a specific amount of time to wallow in it – think about it with intensity, cry, be angry; concentrate on those negative feelings; and when the allotted time ends, replace them with positive activities and thinking. It may take a lot of self-discipline to conquer your anxieties; your first efforts won’t always be successful, but as you practice, you will perfect your ability to overcome the negative. Open new compartments, concentrate on new thoughts, accept new projects, and learn new things. Give your mind positive things to think about and you will prevail over the things that scatter your thoughts, drain your energy, and hold you back.

This is the way to accomplish your dreams, put them in a positive compartment, and spend your time and thoughts there, learning how to achieve your goal. Then repeat the process. Each time it becomes easier.