Exterminate ANTs this Week!
Become Your Own Biggest Fan
This post is about a different type of ant, far worse than the insect—it is the Automatic Negative Thoughts (ANTs) that invade people’s minds throughout the day.
How many times have you heard someone say?
(1) “I will never find a job; no one will ever hire me at this age. I can’t even get an interview.”
(2) “This situation is hopeless; I might as well give up. Why bother?”
(3) “I can’t keep up with new technology; I feel stupid.”
Maybe you have heard a friend or colleague say it once. Can you imagine someone running negative phrases through their mind multiple times a day on a continuous loop? I get exhausted knowing people are living like this day after day.
Unfortunately, there is a free-floating anxiety, permeating America, particularly in corporate settings. Employees often experience isolation working remotely, while others have become comfortable and dread going to an office. For working individuals, ANTs result in missed career opportunities because of lower confidence, research by Mark George, MD, National Institutes of Health reports consistent negative thoughts show inflammation in areas of the brain often involved with depression and anxiety.
For those not working, persistent ANTs may originate from changes in physical mobility, declining cognitive function including memory loss, or social issues including feeling devalued by society due to ageism. Support, resources, and appropriate care by a healthcare professional may help improve quality of life issues.
Let’s figure out how to exterminate ANTs. Here are four tips to help your friends, co-workers, and relatives when you notice ANTs consistently creeping into the conversation. If you know of any other anti-ANT strategies, please leave them in the comments.
(1) Remember ANTs are automatic, so when someone has an infestation the first step is the let them know, that these pests can be eradicated. ANTs have to be acknowledged. They can be written down in a notebook or if that’s not convenient, suggest they repeat ANTs into a voice recorder on their cell phone. Make note of what situation or who around them brought the ANTs. In the future, they can limit interactions with the person or people who inspire ANTs and avoid situations that result in ANTs.
(2) When ANTs emerge, suggest your friend or colleague ask themselves a series of questions beginning with—is that negative thought true? How can they be sure? Have they ever faced and overcome a situation like this before? Are they likely to be able to succeed again?
(3) Toxic workplaces foster environments that minimize what employees do right and worker’s mistakes are magnified and turned into disasters. With this in mind, remind your colleagues and working relatives that while their workplace may be filled with ANTs; they do not have to bring them home. Flood their work areas with positive affirmations (their screen saver, their mouse pad, photos on the wall, etc.).
(4) ANTs instill fear. Living or working in fear is an enormous waste of time, lowers productivity, and keeps people from their personal best. Several sources take credit for the acronym for fear: False Evidence Appearing Real. (Neale Donald Walsch, Richard Rohr, and Gary Busey are among the contenders for creating the acronym.)
The ANTs didn’t show up overnight and people can’t expect to rid themselves of this problem in a day or two. If ANTs are persistent they could be part of social anxiety disorder or another issue requiring professional help. A company’s Employee Assistance Plan (EAP) is a good (free) place to start and there are many healthcare professionals equipped to help exterminate ANTs once and for all.
Help everyone you know exterminate ANTs and have a great week!
(Sections of this blog post originally appeared in my Work, Career & Jobs@40+ blog, 10/8/2012 and it is as relevant today as it was then.)