How to change thoughts?
Top blue picture. Here we are completely absorbed in what our thoughts are telling us. The thoughts are our truth.
Middle picture. Here we try to get rid of the thoughts and what happens is that they almost certainly come back. "I can't think about a pink elephant" guarantees that we will think about pink elephants.
Bottom picture. Here we make ourselves aware of what we are thinking about by starting:
Observe/discover/reveal the thoughts
Say stop but don't try to get rid of them
Accept the thoughts exactly as they are, see them as clouds in the sky, which makes you an observer of the thoughts
Take a deep breath while counting to four - hold your breath while counting to four - breathe out while counting to four
Focus on something using your senses such as peeling an orange or describing in detail something you are looking at
Now you can change your thoughts - change your perspective by focusing on what lifts and energizes you