From Avalanche to Action: Turning Negative Thoughts into Your Greatest Asset
The Avalanche of Negative Thoughts
Did you know the average person has thousands of thoughts every day, many of them negative? Research from the National Science Foundation suggests we experience between 12,000 and 60,000 thoughts daily, and a staggering 80% of these are negative. Psychologist Rick Hanson explains in Hardwiring Happiness that this “negativity bias” evolved as a survival mechanism. Our ancestors needed to be hyper-aware of threats, which hardwired the brain to prioritize negative stimuli.
But today, this constant stream of negativity doesn’t just protect us—it can stop us in our tracks. Negative thoughts tell us we’re not good enough, not smart enough, or that we’ll never succeed. Worse, many people feel embarrassed by these thoughts, as if successful or “good” people wouldn’t have them. It’s easy to fall into the trap of believing that the mere presence of negative thoughts is proof of failure.
However, given the sheer number of negative thoughts we all have, trying to avoid or eliminate them is futile. It’s like trying to stop a literal avalanche—exhausting and impossible. The good news? You don’t need to fight them. Instead, you can learn to use them as fuel for growth, clarity, and action.
Where Do Negative Thoughts Come From?
Negative thoughts don’t appear out of thin air—they have roots in multiple aspects of the human experience:
Evolutionary Development:
Our ancestors survived by being cautious and alert to potential dangers. This survival mechanism is why our brains are wired to notice and dwell on negative stimuli. In The Power of Bad, John Tierney and Roy Baumeister explain that even one negative experience can outweigh many positive ones in our minds. This bias ensured survival in dangerous environments but often works against us today.Ancestral Trauma:
Trauma experienced by past generations can live on in our bodies. In My Grandmother’s Hands, Resmaa Menakem explores how unprocessed trauma from ancestors can manifest in physical and emotional patterns, contributing to recurring fears, doubts, and somatic reactions in their descendants.Childhood Experiences:
Early life experiences shape our self-concept and beliefs. In The Body Keeps the Score, Bessel van der Kolk explains how negative experiences in childhood can create deeply ingrained patterns of self-doubt and fear that follow us into adulthood.Modern Comparison Culture:
Social media exacerbates the problem by bombarding us with curated images of other people’s successes. This constant comparison triggers negative thoughts like, Why am I not as good as them? or What’s wrong with me?Even though these thoughts stem from unrealistic comparisons, they feel painfully real.
With all these influences, negative thoughts are inevitable. But instead of getting trapped in embarrassment or paralysis, we can turn them into opportunities for growth.
Stop Fighting the Avalanche: Leverage It
If eliminating negative thoughts is a losing battle, why not use them instead? Rather than viewing negative thoughts as obstacles, consider them as data—clues about your fears, needs, and values. By leveraging these thoughts, you can turn the avalanche into a powder day, full of fresh opportunities to carve a new path.
The Powder Day Mindset is a five-step process designed to do just that. Here’s how it transforms negative thoughts.
Celebrate Your Efforts:
Start by celebrating the fact that you’re aware of your negative thoughts. Instead of being embarrassed or ashamed, recognize that noticing the thought is the first step toward change. Celebrate your bravery in facing it head-on.Example: If you think, “I’m not good enough to succeed,” celebrate that you care about success. That’s a sign of growth.
Declare Your Goal:
Use the negative thought as a guide to clarify what you want. If your thought says, “I’ll never be able to grow my business,” ask yourself, What does success in my business look like to me? Declare your goal in clear, actionable terms.Explore What Is and Isn’t Working:
Negative thoughts are like trail markers, showing you areas that need attention. Instead of fighting them, get curious:What’s triggering this thought?
What’s working in my approach, and what isn’t?
What small shift could I make to move forward?
Create a Values-Based Plan:
Align your response with your core values. If your values are courage, curiosity, and connection, ask yourself how you can tackle the thought in a way that embodies those principles.Example: “I’ll show courage by reaching out to a mentor for advice, curiosity by trying a new approach, and connection by collaborating with a peer.”
Take Action:
The fastest way to reduce the power of a limiting belief is to act despite it. Small, value-aligned actions build confidence and momentum, proving to yourself that the thought isn’t as powerful as it seems.Example: If the thought says, “You’re not good enough,” act by sending one email or making one call. Each action chips away at the belief.
Confidence Through Action
Every time you use the Powder Day Mindset, you show yourself that negative thoughts don’t have to hold you back. They can be the catalyst for your most incredible breakthroughs. By celebrating, clarifying, exploring, planning, and acting, you transform the avalanche of negativity into a powerful force for growth.
The more you practice, the more confident you’ll become—not because you’ve eliminated negative thoughts, but because you’ve proven that you can use them to carve new paths. That’s the essence of the Powder Day Mindset: turning life’s storms into opportunities for your best ride yet.
Your Next Step: Transform Limiting Beliefs Into Action
Think of a limiting belief that’s been holding you back and take five minutes to walk through the five steps of the Powder Day Mindset:
Celebrate your awareness.
Declare your goal.
Explore what’s working and what’s not.
Create a values-based plan.
Take one small action today.
When you take that action, you are using negative thoughts to create new perspectives and momentum for your success. And the exciting thing to recognize - you wouldn't be taking that action now without the original negative thought. With the Powder Day Mindset, your negative thoughts become drivers for your success.
If you’re ready to make this process a regular part of your life and want more guidance, grab my Powder Day Mindset e-book! It’s packed with examples, exercises, and tools to help you turn negativity into momentum and carve fresh lines every day.
