Have you ever caught yourself thinking about something that happened hours ago, even though you know there's nothing you can do about it?

Maybe you said something embarrassing during a conversation. Maybe you made a mistake at work, someone rejected you, or you received a text that bothered you. Whatever happened, you keep replaying it in your head, wondering what you could have done differently.

And the frustrating part is that you know you're overthinking it. You know that replaying the conversation another twenty times isn't going to change what happened, but you can't seem to stop.

I think one of the most exhausting parts of negative thinking is how easily it can take over your attention. You could be having a perfectly good day, but one thought enters your mind, and suddenly you're spending the next hour thinking about something that happened yesterday.

In the Guyset Podcast episode How to Get Back Up Again, I shared a simple mental exercise that I use to help interrupt those moments.

I call it The Scissors Method.

The idea is simple: When you catch yourself stuck in an unproductive thought loop, imagine taking a pair of scissors and cutting the thought. Then, instead of continuing to follow it, intentionally redirect your attention toward something else.

It isn't about pretending something didn't happen or forcing yourself to never think about it again. It's about recognizing when a thought is no longer helping you and practicing the ability to move your attention elsewhere.

Recognize When You're Stuck in a Thought Loop

Before you can interrupt a negative thought, you have to recognize when you're getting caught in one.

Let's say you had an uncomfortable conversation with your boss. Maybe you received some feedback you weren't expecting, or you said something you wish you'd handled differently.

At first, thinking about what happened might be useful. You can reflect on the conversation, identify what you could improve, and decide whether there's anything you need to do next.

But eventually, that reflection can turn into something else.

You start replaying the exact words your boss used, wondering whether they think you're bad at your job, and imagining what you should have said instead. Then you start thinking about other mistakes you've made, until one conversation has turned into a much bigger concern about your career.

Psychologists refer to this pattern of repetitive negative thinking as rumination. Psychology Today's 10 Simple Ways to Break Free of Rumination discusses how dwelling on distressing experiences can keep us stuck and offers strategies for interrupting the cycle.

I think the important distinction is understanding the difference between thinking about something because you're trying to solve a problem and thinking about something because you can't seem to stop.

If you're still figuring out what to do, give the situation your attention. But if you've already considered what happened and you're simply replaying it, that might be your cue to use the scissors.

How to Use The Scissors Method

The exercise itself is intentionally simple. You don't need to be somewhere quiet, close your eyes, or spend twenty minutes practicing it.

You can use it while you're walking, working, sitting on the subway, or going about your day.

Step 1: Notice the thought.

Pay attention to when your mind returns to something that's been bothering you. Maybe it's an embarrassing memory, a rejection, or a conversation you've already replayed several times.

Instead of immediately following the thought, pause long enough to recognize what's happening. You might tell yourself, "I'm thinking about this again, and I'm not getting anywhere."

Step 2: Imagine the scissors.

Picture a pair of scissors in your mind. Imagine the negative thought as something you can cut through, almost like a string that's keeping your attention attached to the situation.

You can even make a small cutting motion with your fingers if that helps you remember the exercise.

The point isn't that you're literally eliminating the thought. You're creating a mental cue that reminds you to stop automatically engaging with it.

Step 3: Redirect your attention.

Once you've imagined cutting the thought, deliberately focus on something else. Return to the work in front of you, pay attention to your surroundings, start a conversation, or get up and do something physical.

If the thought returns five minutes later, you haven't failed. Notice it again and practice redirecting your attention without getting frustrated with yourself.

The goal is to interrupt the habit of following every negative thought, not to make negative thoughts disappear forever.

Don't Confuse Cutting a Thought With Avoiding Your Feelings

I think this is the most important distinction to make about The Scissors Method.

There's a difference between recognizing that you're stuck in an unproductive thought loop and refusing to acknowledge something that's genuinely bothering you.

If you're upset about a breakup, worried about your job, or disappointed by something important, those feelings deserve attention. You might need to have a conversation, work through what happened, or give yourself time to process it.

The Scissors Method isn't meant to replace any of those things.

In fact, trying to force unwanted thoughts away can sometimes make them feel even more persistent. That's why I think it's helpful to approach this exercise as a way to redirect your attention rather than suppress your emotions.

The American Psychological Association's Mindfulness Meditation: A Research-Proven Way to Reduce Stress discusses how mindfulness can help people become more aware of their thoughts and emotions without automatically reacting to them.

That's the idea here. You can acknowledge that a thought exists without deciding that you need to spend another hour thinking about it.

Sometimes the most productive thing you can do is deal with the situation. Other times, it's recognizing that you've already done everything you can and giving yourself permission to move on with your day.

Stop Giving Old Conversations New Attention

One of the situations where I think The Scissors Method can be particularly useful is when you're replaying conversations.

Maybe somebody said something that bothered you, and you've spent the entire afternoon imagining what you should have said back. Or maybe you said something awkward on a date and can't stop wondering whether it changed how the other person sees you.

I think we've all experienced some version of this.

You replay the conversation, come up with a better response, and imagine how things would have gone differently. But no matter how many times you revisit it, the conversation itself doesn't change.

In How To Know If You’re Making the Right Decision I explore why we keep returning to moments we wish had gone differently and how to start letting them go.

The next time you catch yourself replaying a conversation, ask whether there's something useful you can still do. Maybe you owe someone an apology, need to clear up a misunderstanding, or want to approach a similar situation differently in the future.

If there's an action worth taking, take it. But if there isn't, recognize that continuing to revisit the conversation isn't going to rewrite it.

That's when you can use the scissors and return your attention to the present.

One Negative Thought Doesn't Need to Become Ten

Something else worth recognizing is how quickly one negative thought can turn into several others.

Maybe you made a mistake at work. Instead of thinking about that one mistake, you start questioning whether you're good at your job, whether your boss likes you, and whether you're ever going to get promoted.

Suddenly, one disappointing experience has become a judgment about your entire career.

As I said in the episode:

"Something is allowed to suck in isolation. That doesn't have to mean that like everything sucks."

I think that's one of the most important things to remember when you're trying to interrupt negative thinking.

You can have a bad day without having a bad life. You can make a mistake without being a failure, and you can experience rejection without deciding that there's something fundamentally wrong with you.

In The Brick Theory: Stop Stacking Your Problems, I explain how we tend to stack disappointments on top of one another until they feel like one enormous problem. The solution is to separate those experiences and deal with them individually.

The Scissors Method can help you recognize when you're starting to make those connections. Instead of allowing one thought to lead you into ten other worries, you can interrupt the pattern before it takes over your attention.

Give Your Attention Somewhere Else to Go

I think one mistake people make when trying to stop overthinking is focusing entirely on what they don't want to think about.

You tell yourself to stop thinking about the conversation, stop worrying about the rejection, or stop replaying the mistake. But now you're spending even more time thinking about the very thing you're trying to avoid.

That's why the final part of The Scissors Method is so important.

After you recognize the thought and imagine cutting it, give your attention somewhere else to go.

Go for a walk, call a friend, work on something you've been putting off, or head to the gym. Personally, I've found that lifting weights can be particularly helpful when I'm having a frustrating day because it gives me something tangible to concentrate on.

The NHS discusses techniques for identifying and challenging negative thought patterns in Reframing Unhelpful Thoughts.

And if you find that negative thoughts are affecting your entire mood, Why Do I Talk to Myself Like This? explores additional ways to recognize repetitive thinking and change how you respond to it.

You don't need to distract yourself from every uncomfortable feeling. But when a thought is no longer helping you, choosing where to direct your attention can be a useful way to move forward.

And Here's The Thing

You're going to have negative thoughts. You're going to remember embarrassing conversations, question decisions, worry about things that haven't happened, and occasionally spend more time thinking about something than you'd like.

That's normal.

But just because a thought shows up doesn't mean you have to follow it.

You can recognize when you're caught in an unproductive cycle, imagine cutting the thought with a pair of scissors, and redirect your attention toward something that actually deserves it.

And if the thought comes back, that's okay, too. You don't have to get frustrated with yourself or assume the exercise isn't working. Sometimes the progress is simply recognizing the thought a little sooner than you did last time.

"Don't forget to pour it out."

You don't have to keep carrying every thought that's been bothering you, and you don't have to keep replaying every difficult experience until you've exhausted yourself.

Sometimes you need to process what happened, talk to somebody, or take action to improve the situation. And if negative thoughts are becoming persistent or interfering with your everyday life, a mental health professional can help you develop additional strategies.

But sometimes you've already done all the thinking you need to do.

Notice the thought. Cut the loop. Return to your life.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is The Scissors Method?

The Scissors Method is a Guyset visualization technique where you imagine cutting through a negative thought loop with scissors and redirecting your attention toward something else.

How do you stop replaying a conversation in your head?

Ask yourself if there's anything you can still do about it. If not, recognize when you're overthinking and shift your attention toward the present.

Can you train yourself to stop negative thoughts?

You can't prevent every negative thought, but you can learn to respond differently. Mindfulness, visualization, and other techniques can help you break repetitive thinking patterns.

What if the negative thought keeps coming back?

That's normal. The goal isn't to eliminate every negative thought. When it comes back, acknowledge it and practice redirecting your attention again.

Is it better to ignore negative thoughts or deal with them?

If there's a real problem you can address, take action. If you're just replaying something without making progress, it may be better to let the thought go and move forward.