Listen to “How to Get Rid of Negative Self-Thought”.
The ways we speak to ourselves and think about ourselves have a powerful impact on our self-esteem, mental and physical health, and general well-being and happiness.
Many of our problems are caused by what we think about reality rather than reality itself.
Most people experience some negative self-talk from time to time. But for people with anxiety, the impact of bad thoughts can be significant and may even become physical. These loud thoughts — coming from the inner voice — are not the issue; it’s the weight we give them, how we choose to engage with them, and the storylines we create around them that get in our way.
True self-esteem comes from changing our relationship with our thoughts rather than overriding negative thoughts with more positive ones. Remember, thoughts are just thoughts, and they are not negative or positive. They only become so when we add extra layers of meaning and labels to them.
Once you can identify your unhelpful thinking styles, you will start to really notice them. They often occur just before and during distressing situations. Once you start noticing them, then you can begin to challenge or distance yourself from them.
You should not be too hard on yourself. Instead, treat your fears and concerns in a similar way to if you were giving advice to a friend or loved one — with compassion, kindness, and understanding.
Here are some tools to identify negativity and transform your thinking habits in more compassionate and kinder ways:
Meditation
One of the most effective tools for understanding your inner thoughts is meditation. The intention of meditation is not to silence the voices in your head but rather to help you find a new perspective that allows you to let go of your inner critic and give yourself some loving kindness.
Breathing practices
Our breath is dynamic; it can be performed entirely involuntarily or voluntarily, unconsciously or consciously.
Through the simple but powerful act of awareness, one of the greatest gifts that breathwork offers is the ability to change the state of mind and body through the way we breathe.
Spend a few more moments noticing your breath without trying to change it. To notice how you’re breathing is an essential lesson and practice in itself. Just by placing gentle awareness on the breath, it will begin to shift and slow on its own. If you are new to creating practices, you can try Breathing Meditation for Inner Peace in the DeepH App.
Explore yourself and embrace imperfections
Exploring your thoughts can help you better understand the processes behind them and take a more rational approach to difficult situations.
At the very core of effective self-exploration is the ability to deal with your most authentic self. Therefore, you should be open, as hiding parts of yourself will only hinder the process.
It’s important to remember that as humans, we’re not meant to be perfect. So instead of viewing things as a setback or something that you feel embarrassed about, try to embrace your imperfections and see them as part of your unique personality.
