REWIRE THE STORM: 7 TOOLS TO DISARM NEGATIVE THINKING

By Allen Dekeyser

Tool #1: Thoughts Are Not Facts

Your brain talks a lot — but that doesn’t mean it’s telling the truth. Just because you think you’re failing doesn’t mean you are. Challenge every thought like a detective, not a victim.

Tool #2: What’s Beneath the Fear?

Most fear isn’t about what’s happening — it’s about what it means. Are you afraid you’ll go broke… or that it’ll mean you’re worthless? Go deeper. Expose the lie underneath the fear.

Tool #3: Reality Check-In

Pause. Breathe. Ask: “What is actually happening right now?” Not what your brain says will happen. But what you can feel, touch, and see. Bring yourself back to the moment.

Tool #4: Unmask the Trigger

Something stirred the storm. What was it? Name the memory. Feel the emotion. Speak the lie that got planted (“I’m not safe,” “I’m too broken”) — and replace it with truth. “I’ve survived worse. I’m still here.”

Tool #5: Panic Loses Power When You Don’t Fight It

It’s wild, but true: When you stop resisting the wave of panic and ride it out, it loses momentum. Tell it, “Okay, I see you. Do what you’re going to do.” That surrender becomes your strength.

Tool #6: Flip the Frame

Step back like a director watching a movie. What’s another angle here? What else could this mean? Sometimes a painful moment is actually a setup for growth — not a takedown.

Tool #7: Feed the Right Fire

Your mind is always chewing on something. Make sure it’s fuel, not poison. Uplifting music, Scripture, quotes, books, the right people — what you feed your mind becomes your default. Guard it like a gatekeeper.