| How to Make Christmas Tree Decorations Posted: 12 Dec 2020 04:00 PM PST Sick of store-bought Christmas ornaments? Want to add a little individual flair to your tree? Or just looking for a fun Christmas project for you and your family? You've come to the right place! This article will provide you with some great homemade ornament ideas, all of which are low-cost and easy to make. Happy crafting! [Edit]Making Easy DIY Decorations - Spray paint pine cones. Collect some pine cones - large or small - and spray paint them gold or silver. Attach a piece a ribbon to the top and hang from your tree. Alternatively, roll the pine cone in some glue and then in some glitter for a sparkly finish!
- Make a popcorn and cranberry garland. Take a needle and some strong thread (nylon or waxed cotton), a bowl of air-popped popcorn and a cup of cranberries. Thread the needle, making a large knot from the end. Begin sewing the popcorn and cranberries onto the thread, alternating between each, or using any pattern you like. Make a large knot at the end of the string. Hang on your indoor Christmas tree or, even better, on an outside tree to provide a tasty treat for the birds! [1]
- Make Lego presents. This is an easy one for kids to make! Assemble some large Lego pieces to form a square or rectangular present shape. Take a length of colored ribbon and tie it around the Lego, making a bow on top. Place your Lego presents under the tree or hang them from the branches!
- Make a gumdrop snowflake. Take one large, ball-shaped gumdrop and stick six toothpicks into it, at regular intervals. Stack a selection of smaller gumdrops onto each toothpick until they are full. Attach a ribbon for hanging on the Christmas tree, or simply balance the gumdrop snowflake on a branch.[2]
- Make a jigsaw Rudolph. Grab five jigsaw pieces (two of which slot into each other) and paint them light brown. Take one piece of jigsaw to form the base, and glue the two attached pieces to the bottom half. This will be Rudolph's face. Take the remaining two jigsaw pieces (unattached) and glue them to the top half of the base piece to form the antlers. Glue a circle of red felt (or a red gumdrop) to the bottom of the jigsaw to form a nose, along with two googly eyes. Attach a ribbon to the back for hanging.
- Make cinnamon bundles. Take five or six cinnamon sticks and form a bundle. Tie with a piece of red or green ribbon and make a bow on top. Hang from the branches of the Christmas tree for a pretty and fragrant ornament!
- Make a photo cube. Buy a wooden/foam/cardboard cube, then print out six christmas photos (you, friends, trees, etc.) Cut the photos to the right size for each side. Using glue (hot glue is best), paste the photos onto each side of cube. Attach a string to hang. If you want, you can write on one side.
[Edit]Making Salt Dough Ornaments - Gather the ingredients and equipment. To make your salt dough ornaments, you will need one cup of plain flour, half a cup of salt and half a cup of water. You will also need Christmas themed cookie cutters (stars, Christmas trees, angels, wreaths, etc.) a cookie sheet, a rolling pin, some toothpicks, ribbon, and acrylic paints and glitter glue for decorating.
- Make the salt dough. In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, salt and water and stir until it forms a dough. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead until smooth. If the dough is too sticky, add a little more flour -- though not too much, as this will cause the dough to crack.
- Use cookie cutters to cut out shapes. With a floured rolling pin, roll out the dough until it is about in thickness. Use your Christmas themed cookie cutters to cut out shapes in the dough. Place each shape on a floured surface as you cut out the rest of the dough.
- Make holes in each ornament for hanging. Before you bake your ornaments, you will need to make a little hole at the top of each where you can thread a ribbon to hang the ornament from your tree. Use a toothpick to make punch a hole near the top of each ornament, rotating the toothpick a little to make the hole wide enough for your ribbon to fit through.
- Bake the ornaments. Place your salt dough ornaments on a floured cookie sheet and place on the middle shelf of an oven preheated to . Bake for two hours, then remove from the oven, place on a wire rack and allow to cool completely.
- Decorate. Once the salt dough ornament have cooled, you can decorate them using the acrylic paints and glitter glue. Depending on personal preference, you can use a small paint brush to paint on intricate details, or you can simply cover the decoration in one block color. You can also glue on sequins, button and crystals for extra decoration.
- Thread the ribbon. Cut a length of ribbon - preferably in red, green or white - and thread it through the hole at the top of the ornament. Secure with a knot and hang from the tree. If you like, you can write the date on the back of the ornament to remember when you made it![3]
[Edit]Making Felt Snowman Ornaments - Gather your materials. To make your felt snowman ornament you will need pieces of felt in white, brown, orange and black. You will also need a piece of white ribbon (approximately 5 inches in length), a sewing needle and thread (in colors matching the felt), a pen, a scissors, some polyester fiberfill and a sheet of paper.
- Cut out the body of the snowman. Draw the outline of a snowman onto the sheet of paper. Make the snowman whatever shape you like -- two snowballs high, three snowballs high, fat, skinny -- it's up to you.
- Cut the paper snowman outline, then place it on a piece of white felt.
- Use your pen to trace the outline of the snowman onto the felt, then cut it out with the scissors.
- Trace another snowman outline onto a second piece of felt and cut that one out too.
- You should now have two identical snowman outlines.
- Cut out the snowman's arms and facial features.
- Cut out five small circles from the piece of black felt. These will form the snowman's eyes, along with his three coal buttons.
- Cut out a small triangle from the orange felt. This will form the carrot for the snowman's nose.
- Cut out two stick shapes from the brown felt. These will be the snowman's arms.
- Sew on the snowman's eyes, nose and buttons. Take one of the white felt snowman outlines and hand-stitch the eyes, carrot nose and coal buttons into place. Use thread of a corresponding color for each piece, i.e. orange thread for the nose, and black thread for the other pieces.
- Assemble the snowman.
- Take the two white felt body pieces and line them up, placing the piece with the sewn-on features on top.
- Take the brown felt arms and place them between the two body pieces, sticking out at an angle.
- Take the length of white ribbon, fold it over, and insert the end between the two body pieces at the top of the snowman's head. This will form the hanging loop for the finished ornament.
- Sew it all together. Take your needle and some white thread and hand-stitch the two body pieces together, leaving a seam allowance of only .
- As you're stitching, make sure to catch both of the snowman's arms and the looped thread in a stitch, in order to secure them in place.
- Don't stitch the entire snowman closed just yet; leave a space of about to an inch open at the bottom.
- Stuff the snowman. Take your polyester fiberfill and stuff it into the snowman, making him nice and plump. Once you've done this, you can finish the snowman by stitching the snowman closed. Hang your jolly felt snowman on the Christmas tree and admire your handiwork![4]
[Edit]Making Glitter Ball Ornaments - Collect some clear glass ornaments. They can be any size you like, just make sure that they have easily removable tops.
- Remove the tops and pour in a little floor wax. Gently remove the tops from the glass ornaments (you don't want to damage them) and pour a small amount of floor wax or floor finish into the glass ball.
- This may sound strange, but this is what allows the glitter to stick to the inside of the ball. Just make sure the product you use is acrylic based and clear drying.
- Gently swirl the product around the inside of the ornament, making sure the entire inside surface is coated in floor wax.
- Once you're done, you can pour the floor wax back into the bottle. Waste not, want not!
- Grab a selection of different colored glitters. Pour a substantial amount of your chosen glitter into the glass ornament and swirl it around until the glitter completely covers the interior of the ornament. Shake any excess back into the container of glitter.
- You can choose any colors you like --gold, silver, red, blue, green, purple -- whichever ones go with the color scheme for your tree.
- If you want to be really wild, you could even try mixing a few different colors for a real disco ball effect.
- Replace the top. Once the glitter has dried, you can replace the top of the ornament. Use a little to secure it in place if it feels in any way loose.
- Decorate the outside. If you like, you can leave the glitter ball ornaments as they are. Alternatively, you can decorate the outsides using snowflake- or star-shaped scrapbook stickers and some diamante sequins.[5]
[Edit]Making Clothespin Snowflake Ornaments - Take eight wooden clothespins. Eight wooden clothespins will make one snowflake ornament. Carefully separate each clothespin, removing the metal springs.
- Glue the two halves of each clothespin together. Take some hot glue or wood glue and stick the flat sides of each clothespin together. Take a piece of ribbon, fold it in half, and insert both ends between two of the wooden pieces before you glue them. This will allow you to hang the ornament later.
- Make the snowflake. Assemble the snowflake as follows:
- Take two of the glued-together pieces and align the flattened edges at the top to form a right-angle. Attach two more pieces to form an X shape.
- Take the remaining four glued-together pieces and stick one in between each right angle. You should now have a snowflake.
- Paint the snowflake. Paint the snowflake using white or gold spray paint. Paint with a slight, glittery shimmer can look very nice. Stick sequins or jewels onto the ornament as you see fit.[6]
[Edit]Printable Snowman Template - If your tree does not come pre-lit, pick up some lights and string them.
- Another great thing is to pick up some fake snow spray and spray that on the tips of your tree. Also get some candy canes and hang them on the tree.
- Try to make this a family activity and have fun!
- Get all of the supplies you need for making D.I.Y. decorations at a craft store, or check out your local dollar store or Walmart.
[Edit]Warnings - Be careful with the tacks and metal hooks.
[Edit]Related wikiHows [Edit]References [Edit]Quick Summary |
| How to Make a Caramel Cake Posted: 12 Dec 2020 08:00 AM PST Caramel cake is a familiar addition to many Southern dessert tables. It's a double layer cake coated in homemade caramel icing. Although it's not usually decorated, you only need to take one bite to know why the recipe is handed down through families. The rich, caramel icing hardens a bit as it sets so you get a perfect bite of sweet caramel with fluffy yellow cake. Serve your caramel layer cake with cold milk and enjoy the compliments! [Edit]Ingredients For the cake: - 1 cup (227 g) of softened butter
- 2 1/2 cups (300 g) of sifted all-purpose flour, plus more for the pans
- 2 teaspoons (8 g) of baking powder
- 2 teaspoons (11 g) of salt
- 1/4 teaspoon (1 g) of baking soda
- 2 cups (400 g) of white sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 2 large egg yolks
- of vanilla extract
- of whole milk
For the caramel icing: - 2 1/2 cups (300 g) plus 1/3 cup (67 g) of white sugar
- 1 tablespoon (12 g) of all-purpose flour
- of heavy cream
- 1 cup (227 g) of softened butter, at room temperature, divided
- of vanilla extract
Makes a double-layer cake - Preheat the oven to and grease 2 round cake pans. Get out a couple of round cake pans and spray the inside with nonstick cooking spray. To make it even easier to get the cakes out, sprinkle a spoonful of flour across the bottom of the pan and shake it so it covers the bottom and sides. Then, tap out the excess flour and set your pans aside.[1]
- You can also cut a piece of parchment paper to fit in the bottom of the pans. This makes it really easy to get the cakes out of the pans and you can simply peel away the paper.
- Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl. Put 2 1/2 cups (300 g) of sifted all-purpose flour into a big mixing bowl and add 2 teaspoons (8 g) of baking powder, 2 teaspoons (11 g) of salt, and 1/4 teaspoon (1 g) of baking soda. Then, whisk the dry ingredients for about 30 seconds so all of the leaveners are completely mixed in.[2]
- It's always a good idea to check the expiration dates on your baking powder and baking soda. If they're expired, your cake won't rise!
- Beat softened butter with sugar for 3 minutes. Put 1 cup (227 g) of softened butter into a big mixing bowl and add 2 cups (400 g) of white sugar. Turn a hand or stand mixer to low and beat the butter with the sugar until they're combined. Then, turn up the speed to medium-high and keep beating the mixture until it's light and fluffy. Give it at least a few minutes before you turn off the mixer.[3]
- Stop and scrape down the sides of the bowl a few times while you're beating the butter mixture.
- Want your cake to have a slight caramel flavor? Instead of using 2 cups (400 g) of white sugar, use 1 1/2 cups (300 g) of white sugar and 1/2 cup (100 g) of packed brown sugar.
- Mix in eggs and yolks, one at a time, along with vanilla extract. Turn the mixer to low and add 1 egg. Let it beat for about 15 seconds before you add the remaining 2 eggs and 2 yolks, one at a time. Then, mix in of vanilla extract.[4]
- The extra egg yolks give the cake its beautiful yellow color.
- Stir the dry ingredients into the batter, alternating with whole milk. Switch to a wooden spoon or a spatula and stir in about 1/3 of the dry ingredients. Once they're incorporated, mix in about half of of whole milk. Don't worry about being super precise—you can eyeball this. Then, add the rest of the dry ingredients, alternating with the rest of the milk. Stop stirring as soon as the dry ingredients are absorbed.[5]
- If you mix the batter too long, your cake will be dense or tough. This is also why you want to add the dry ingredients by hand instead of with an electric mixer.
- Spread the batter in the 2 round pans. Try to scoop the same amount of batter into each of your prepared cake pans. You can eyeball this or set your pans on a kitchen scale so you can see how much batter you're putting in each pan. Then, use an offset spatula or the back of a spoon to spread the tops so they're level.[6]
- Bake the cakes for 30 minutes or until they're golden. Put the cake pans in your preheated oven and set a timer for 30 minutes. The edges should pull away from the sides of the pan and turn a light golden color. To test if your cakes are done, carefully stick a skewer or tester into the center of the cake to see if it comes out clean.[7]
- If there's still batter on the skewer, stick the cakes back in the oven and check them again in a few minutes.
- Take the cakes out of the oven and cool them completely. Wear oven mitts to take the pans out of the oven and set them on a wire rack. Let the cakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes. Then, run a thin knife around the edge of the pans and turn the cakes onto a wire rack to finish cooling.[8]
- It's really important to cool the cakes completely so the caramel icing doesn't soak into the cake when you put it on.
[Edit]Caramel Icing - Cook 1/3 cup (67 g) of the sugar over medium-high for 3 minutes. Don't be intimidated by making caramel! Set a heavy-bottomed pot on the stove and pour in 1/3 cup (67 g) of sugar. Turn the burner to medium-high and stir the sugar constantly until it melts and turns a deep brown. Then, turn off the burner.[9]
- Got clumpy sugar? Don't worry! The sugar clumps at first, but the clumps melt into a syrup that turns a rich brown.
- Whisk in flour, cream, and the rest of the sugar. Add the remaining 2 1/2 cups (300 g) sugar along with 1 tablespoon (12 g) of all-purpose flour and of heavy cream. Whisk really well to dissolve the flour.[10]
- Heavy cream and whipping cream are interchangeable, so use whichever one you can find at the store.
- You could also substitute the same amount of evaporated milk for the cream.
- Heat the syrup over medium-high until it reaches . Clip a candy thermometer onto the side of the pot and turn the burner back on to medium-high. Cook the syrup for about 10 to 12 minutes or until it reaches . You don't have to stir constantly, but you should stir the syrup every few minutes to help it cook evenly.[11]
- You're bringing the caramel to the soft ball stage. This means if you were to put some of the caramel into cold water, it would firm up enough that you could roll it into a soft ball between your fingers.
- Turn off the burner and stir in half of the butter and vanilla. You don't want the caramel sauce to keep cooking, so turn off the burner as soon as it reaches . Then, put 1/2 cup (113 g) of the softened butter into the pot along with of vanilla extract. Stir the caramel mixture until the butter melts.[12]
- Keep the other stick of butter out at room temperature. You'll need it later to finish the caramel icing.
- Cool the caramel syrup until it reaches . Set the caramel aside so it cools off. This should take around 1 hour. Don't have that long to wait? Don't worry! You can speed up the cooling process by filling your clean kitchen sink half full of ice water. Then, set the pot into the sink and stir the syrup until it reaches . Just don't let any water get into the caramel.[13]
- If you're cooling the caramel at room temperature, just stir it occasionally to help it cool faster.
- Beat the cooled syrup on high for 10 minutes. Spoon the caramel into a big mixing bowl and use a hand or stand mixer to beat it on high. Although 10 minutes might seem like a long time, beating the caramel for this long makes it fluffy, thick, and pale.[14]
- If you want your caramel icing to have more of a pouring consistency, you can skip this step.
- Mix in the remaining butter and beat the icing for 5 minutes on high. To give your amazing icing even more volume, add the remaining 1/2 cup (113 g) of softened butter and turn the mixer back to high speed. Beat the caramel icing for 5 more minutes so it's soft and easy to spread.[15]
- Stop and scrape down the bowl a few times so all of the icing becomes fluffy.
[Edit]Assembly - Put 1 cake on your serving plate and spread 3/4 cup (210 g) of icing on it. Set 1 of your cooled cakes on a platter or cake plate. If the cake has a noticeable dome, you can slice it off so it's level or just flip it over so the flat side faces up. Then, spread about 3/4 cup (210 g) of caramel icing over the top of the cake.[16]
- You can use an offset spatula or the back of a large spoon to spread the icing. Just use whatever's comfortable for you.
- Stack the other cake on top so they're centered. You're almost done assembling your layer cake! Take your second cooled cake and flip it so the flat bottom faces up. Set this directly on the frosted cake so the sides line up.[17]
- Again, if your cake is really domed, feel free to cut it so it's level or just enjoy the slightly rounded caramel cake.
- Spread the rest of the caramel icing over the top and sides of the cake. Now, scoop all of the icing onto the top of the cake and spread it evenly over the surface. Then, spread the icing around the sides of the cake. For a polished look, quickly run the flat edge of a bench scraper around the sides and top of the cake. Try to work fast so the caramel icing doesn't start to harden. [18]
- Having trouble with the icing sticking as you spread it? Just dip your offset spatula or spoon in warm water to loosen the icing.
- Leave the cake at room temperature for 2 hours before you serve it. This might be the hardest part about making the cake. Let it sit out for a few hours so the caramel icing can set before you slice it. When you're finally able to serve it, set out glasses of cold milk and enjoy![19]
- Put the leftover cake in an airtight container and store it at room temperature for up to 5 days.
- The flavor of this caramel cake gets better after a few days, so feel free to make it a few days before you plan on serving it.
[Edit]Things You'll Need - round cake pans
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Mixing bowls
- Hand or stand mixer
- Spatula
- Whisk
- Wire racks
- Oven mitt
- Skewer or cake tester
- Large heavy-bottomed pot
- Spoon
- Candy thermometer
- Serrated knife
- Cake stand or serving dish
[Edit]References |
| How to Get Out of Your Head Posted: 12 Dec 2020 12:00 AM PST When you're stuck in your head, it can seem almost impossible to get out. Worrying about the future, the past, money, relationships, jobs, or schoolwork can lead to spiraling thoughts that can seriously take away your enjoyment of the present. Thankfully, there are a few ways you can take control over your mind and redirect your thoughts to a more calming and comfortable place. [Edit]Distractions - Hang out with your friends. If you're having trouble getting out of your head, sometimes the best answer is to be around other people. Hit up a friend, go hang out with your family, or have a chat with someone on the phone. Talking to other people can make you forget what you were in your head about in the first place.[1]
- You can tell your friends that you're struggling with your thoughts if you want to, but you don't have to.
- When you hang out with your friends, really focus on what they're saying and how they're saying it. This can help you snap out of your spinning thoughts much faster.
- If you can't hang out with someone in person or that seems like too much right now, try FaceTiming or video chatting instead.
- Do some exercise. Going for a run, doing yoga, or lifting weights can all help you get out of your head. Since you're focusing on your body, you won't be able to ruminate on negative thoughts as much. Pick an exercise that you enjoy doing and get your blood pumping.[2]
- Sticking with an exercise routine can improve your mental health overall, so it's great practice in general.
- Swimming, jogging, playing basketball, riding a bike, or jumping rope are all great options too, and even just taking a walk can help you change your environment and get your body moving.
- Enjoy a relaxing activity that you love. Dive into your favorite hobby, pick up a good book, or start a journal entry. Try to choose something that really focuses your mind so you can use it to distract your thoughts and focus on something else. If you're having trouble picking up a new activity, stick with one you know you love and enjoy.[3]
- Jigsaw puzzles, crossword puzzles, and word searches are all fun activities that focus your mind without much effort.
- Watching TV and scrolling through social media might be fun, but it isn't very engaging for your mind. Try to choose something that focuses your brain power.
- Pamper yourself. When's the last time you took a bubble bath? Or painted your nails? Set aside 10 to 30 minutes to soak in the tub, do a face mask, or try a new body scrub. It's a way to keep your mind engaged and relax your body at the same time.[4]
- Negative thoughts can turn themselves into actual muscle aches, so soothing your body can make you feel better overall.
- If you have the time, book a massage!
- Get organized. If you're feeling stressed about school, work, money, relationships, or responsibilities, you can put some of that energy toward getting yourself organized. Try rounding up your textbooks, gathering important papers, or starting a to-do list. You don't have to completely revamp your entire living or work space, but getting organized can help calm you down and give you a nice distraction.[5]
- If you're worried about money, try creating a budget for yourself.
- If you're worried about relationships in your life, reach out to your friends, family, or partner.
- You might not be able to organize your entire life right now, and that's totally fine. Focus on doing one small thing to work toward organization, then go from there.
- This is a great way to put your anxious energy into doing something concrete and helpful.
[Edit]Grounding Exercises - Go somewhere peaceful. This doesn't have to be a scenic meadow with chirping birds; your peaceful place can be your bedroom, your office, or the park outside your home. Wherever it is, try to go somewhere you feel like you can relax and destress.[6]
- If you can't leave your home and go somewhere else right now, that's okay too. You can create a peaceful environment by wearing headphones or closing your eyes.
- Focus on your breathing. This can help slow down your thoughts and divert your mind elsewhere. If it helps, you can close your eyes as you take a deep breath in, then another deep breath out. Try feeling the breath as it enters your nose, goes down into your lungs, then exits again.[7]
- This is also a great way to reduce any anxiety you might be feeling. It can be tough to do this exercise at first, but when you practice it, it will help you relax and destress.
- Focusing on your breathing, a natural process that everyone does, is a good way to ground yourself and bring your thoughts back around to the present.
- Use the 5-4-3-2-1 method to notice your surroundings. If you catch yourself spinning tons of thoughts in your head, you can pick out things around you with your various senses to bring you back into your body. First, pick out 5 things that you can see around you. Then, 4 things you can touch around you. Acknowledge 3 things that you can hear in your general area, 2 things you can smell, and 1 thing you can taste.[8]
- This exercise can help you snap out of anxious or worrying thoughts and bring you back into your body as it exists now.
- You can do this exercise anywhere—at home, at school, during work, at the gym, or when you're out running errands.
- Splash some cool water on your face. Really think about how the water feels on your skin and your hair. When you dry your face off, think about the softness of the towel and how it feels against your body. Try to take a few minutes to do this so you can use it to center yourself.[9]
- If you don't want to get your face all wet, try taking a sip of cool water instead and noticing how it feels going in your mouth and down your throat.
- Picture positive images in your mind. If you have a favorite place in nature that you like to go, try visiting that spot in your head. If you have a calming memory with friends or family members, revisit that one. Focusing on things that make you happy can calm you down and redirect your mental energy.[10]
- If you're having trouble focusing on positive images, look up some guided meditation videos on YouTube. Videos like this can tell you what to think about and keep you focused on your images.
- Tense and release your muscles. Start with your toes, then move up to your legs, then your torso, your arms, and your face. Squeeze and hold each muscle group for 10 seconds, then release them. When you're done, your body should feel more relaxed, and you may feel more grounded and connected with your body.[11]
- As your body relaxes, your mind will, too.
- You might feel more comfortable doing this exercise in private, so excuse yourself to the restroom or your room while you do this one.
[Edit]Tips for Handling Anxiety - Write down your worries. Get out a piece of paper and keep it with you throughout the day. If you catch yourself thinking something negative or anxiety-inducing, write it down. At the end of the day, you can look at your piece of paper and notice any patterns that come up in your mind.[12]
- For example, if you write down a lot of worries about money, you're probably anxious about your financial situation.
- Or, if you have a lot of worries about your career prospects, you might be concerned about your future.
- Accept your thoughts without judgment. Even if your thoughts aren't helpful, it doesn't do any good to beat yourself up about them. Instead of getting angry at yourself, try observing your negative thoughts and analyzing them judgment-free. It can help you better understand why you're thinking them and how you might stop them in the future.[13]
- For example, if you're thinking something like, "I'll never graduate and get my degree," you can accept the thought and analyze that you're probably stressed about your upcoming exams.
- Or, if you're thinking something like, "I'm not good enough to be an artist," you can look at your thought and realize that you're probably worried about your artistic abilities and how they measure up to other people's.
- Until recently, criticism and negativity were common in parenting. If you grew up hearing that kind of thing from your parents, you're more likely to have negative beliefs about yourself. Fortunately, once you become aware of the inaccurate negative beliefs you have, you can start to replace those thoughts with positive ones and break the cycle.[14]
- Challenge the thoughts that give you anxiety. Often, when you're in your head, you might be thinking thoughts that are irrational or have no evidence to support them. If you notice that you're having thoughts like this, try asking yourself, "What's the evidence that thought is true?" or, "Is this thought helpful right now?"[15]
- Chances are, you won't be able to find any evidence that your anxious thoughts are actually real. This can help you snap out of the cycle of repeating negative thoughts.
- You can also ask yourself, "Is my worry solvable?" If it is, great! Take steps toward solving your problem so you can move on. If it isn't, chances are you don't need to be worrying about it.
- Repeat a positive mantra to yourself. If you're stuck in a negative thought pattern, you can challenge those thoughts with a positive one. This mantra can be anything you'd like, but it should uplift you and ground you in some way. Some examples of positive mantras are:[16]
- "I am worthy, and I am safe."
- "I am here in the present, not in the past or the future."
- "I can only control my own actions, not anyone else's."
- Focus on the present. Pay attention to how you feel here and now, not how you might feel tomorrow or in a year. Do some deep breathing, focus on your heart beat, and bring yourself back into the present to quiet down those negative thoughts in your head.[17]
- This is also called "practicing mindfulness." It can help you in a lot of situations, including when you're feeling anxious.
- If you're constantly struggling with getting in your head, you may want to talk to a mental health professional.
[Edit]References [Edit]Quick Summary |
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