SMACIN GRACEFULL TEAM Stuck in a Negative Rut? - How to Challenge Your Negative Feelings Most people experience negative thinking once in awhile, but some have greater difficulty in overcoming unwanted thoughts and feelings. If you find your default button is set towards the negative side of life and you'd like to change it, or if you're in a rut you want out of, there are some steps you can take today to help you make a change. ADVERTISEMENT 1. Look for Root Causes of Your Negative Feelings: Sometimes a person gains perspective by identifying what is behind the negative thoughts: Are you suffering from a painful medical condition? Are you overtired? Are you having hormonal fluctuations (even men can be hormonally imbalanced)? Has something recently made you angry, or are you disappointed? Have you suffered a recent loss? ADVERTISEMENT 2.