It might seem like a radical concept. For all of these years, you have been fighting to eliminate these thoughts and now I am saying not to fight them? Yes, that is exactly what I am saying. This philosophy is more in line with recent approaches in therapy called mindfulness and/or acceptance therapy. The basic premise is that you simply accept and acknowledge these thoughts, not giving them any emotional power, and let them simply pass. You stop fighting, and start accepting.

Here are some immediate ways to begin doing so:

Thoughts are Thoughts, Not Facts - Remember that the thoughts you have in your head are simply thoughts, not facts. When you call yourself a few choice words after a mistake, they are simply thoughts. You may have the thought that you are a bonehead, but it is not a fact.

Birds in the Sky - Think of your thoughts as birds in the sky. They fly overhead all of the time and you have no control over them. You can simply acknowledge them and let them pass, just as you can negative thoughts.

Boats in the Harbor - Think of sitting on a dock and watching the ships pass by. They are ships passing by and you have no control over them. Just let them go. Just as you can with negative thoughts.

Try taking these simple steps and see what happens!