I found it helpful to break the pattern of struggle and accept that thoughts are random, or at least consistently erratic, and not a to be taken too seriously.

I found it helpful to break the pattern of struggle and accept that thoughts are random, or at least consistently erratic, and not a to be taken too seriously. Once you stop trying to control your thoughts and learn to refocus on things you value you paradoxically gain some control back over them, since you start treating them like chatter on a radio and not 'you'. Its the automatic reactions to things that have to be intercepted at the stem, and while you can certainly imrove things I think seperating the sense of self from the self-talk gives you more patience. From that perspective putting a positive spin on thoughts is totally an option, but if and when it does not succceed or result in permanent changs, you have plan B (let it be, let it go, its just a thought, whats next on the agenda).