At least, the best trick I've found, is to have them, but work on not letting them rule you.
I've never had any luck with overriding my thoughts, even when they're stupid, or silly, or even things I'm ashamed to think. I can't control my thoughts. I *can* control my actions.
My fears and foolishness and even the bits of me that are flat-out evil are *there*; I can't remove them short of a lobotomy (and maybe not even then; I don't really know that much about the effects of frontal lobe stirring with pointy objects).
I *can* do my very best to act like a decent, sane, sensible person.
By all means, do whatever constructive post-analysis you can; perhaps next time you'll have that extra second, or perhaps you won't need it.
But don't waste time and effort in "I shouldn't be thinking this" loops; that won't stop the thoughts.
Have your self-recriminations, and get it over with. Keep talking it out if that helps.
The trick with those "everybody has them thoughts"
I've never had any luck with overriding my thoughts, even when they're stupid, or silly, or even things I'm ashamed to think. I can't control my thoughts. I *can* control my actions.
My fears and foolishness and even the bits of me that are flat-out evil are *there*; I can't remove them short of a lobotomy (and maybe not even then; I don't really know that much about the effects of frontal lobe stirring with pointy objects).
I *can* do my very best to act like a decent, sane, sensible person.
By all means, do whatever constructive post-analysis you can; perhaps next time you'll have that extra second, or perhaps you won't need it.
But don't waste time and effort in "I shouldn't be thinking this" loops; that won't stop the thoughts.
Have your self-recriminations, and get it over with. Keep talking it out if that helps.