Say No to Negative Self-talk.

Many people have the habit of talking negatively about themselves sometimes as a joke, other times they truly believe they are not enough. I used to do this too. Whenever I made a mistake, even when it is small and unintentional like dropping my keys or forgetting something important, I’d say to myself “I always mess things up”. Sounds familiar, doesn’t it? We all do this someway, we put ourselves down so often that eventually, we start believing the things we say. As time passes, that inner voice becomes our harshest critic resonating self-doubts in everything we do. 

What exactly is negative self-talk? It’s simply focusing and magnifying negativity while ignoring all the other good things you should be grateful for. It is when things beyond your control affects your plans, but you still blame yourself anyway. It is when your mind jumps straight to the worst-case scenarios all the time. This kind of thinking not only steals your peace but also your confidence, joy and belief in yourself.

When you speak negatively about yourself all the time, it lowers your self-esteem, and reinforces limiting beliefs. This is the reason why many people quit before they even try, because they’ve convinced themselves they are not worthy of the life they desire. Most of this stems from past failures, or the habit of comparing yourself to others just like the people around you may have done. When you focus solely on what you lack, it becomes hard to see what you’re capable of. Childhood conditioning can also play a major role–especially if you grew up around adults who make you feel ashamed of yourself, or who constantly spoke negatively about themselves. That kind of environment shapes the way you view yourself. And because your subconscious mind believes what you feed it repeatedly, statements like, “I am failure, I cannot do anything” or “I am so dumb” start to feel like truth. This negative thinking makes you anxious, nervous and stressed about why nothing seems to go your way. And when that happens you fall back to criticizing yourself again, and the cycle continues. 

While this may seem tiresome, you can still break free from it by reframing those negative thoughts into healthier ones. Whenever a negative thought pops up or you are catch yourself saying negative remarks about yourself, pause. Before you finish the sentence, interrupt it with phrases like “not my thought” or “that’s not true”. The more you notice negative self-talk, the easier it becomes to stop. Over time, you’ll no longer be harsh on yourself like you used to be. 

Affirmations paired with emotions–can help you rewire your brain to think more positively. Practicing gratitude, visualizing the life you want, meditation and surrounding yourself with positive company support this shift. When you feel good about yourself, confidence comes naturally and you’ll no longer let negativity control your life. You’ll believe in your worth, stand by your decision and trust yourself–irrespective of what others say. Your past doesn’t define you, so don’t let it hold you back from the beautiful future you’re meant for.