Suppose you tend to argue with someone at work.
This arguing goes on in your mind after you stop speaking with that person.
Arguing is simply the conflict between two energy realities or two minds: your mind and someone else's mind.
When you are argue, you simply try to defend your territory and ideas.
When you keep on thinking about this argument and what was said, you transfer this conflict internally.
You basically take the two roles in yourself and keep it unsolved in your system.
As long as the "problem" or conflict is unsolved, the negative thinking cycle goes on, right?
If you want to stop this negative thinking cycle, you have to solve the conflict.
Suppose that you disagree on a topic, you can say to your colleague:
"Look, it looks like we have different opinions and you know what? It is fine. Adult grown up people can disagree and respect each other's opinions. You are free to believe what you want. I respect that. On my side, I will simply stick to what I think"
What you projected here is a mind set.
This mind set is a solution: accept the fact that you don't have to agree on everything.
If the negative thought patterns keep on building in you, you can project the same kind of reasoning to what is going.
Repeat to yourself: "X can think what she he wants. I respect his beliefs. I won't pressure him to change in any way. He is free to think what he wants"
If you repeat to yourself such ideas, you will solve the conflict both internally and externally.
Once the conflict is solved, the negative thoughts naturally stop.
A negative thought pattern is always the visible part of the iceberg.
Something else is going on underneath.
It is a conflict between two energy realities or mind sets and the negative thoughts you perceive are only the "visible" part of this conflict.
Most negative thought streams and patterns can be solved by shifting the way you stand in a given situation.
If you are bitter about something and feel negative towards yourself for instance, you can track back the sources of the bitterness and shift the way you look at the situation or simply solve what is unsolved.
The long term goal is to master your mind and what happens in it.
Basically, you want to have a greater sense of control and ownership over what happens in your mind.
"Working" on negative beliefs of negative thoughts is the perfect way to increase the power you have over your mind.
By observing the patterns and learning how to shift them, you gain greater life mastery.
You can see this as an integral part of your life's training.
You come out of it stronger and empowered.