Simple Solutions for Overcoming Negative Self-Talk

How to tame the destructive force of consistently seeing the worst in yourself

The good news is we now know that you can do something about negative self-talk. This is a common problem for human beings, and if you have Attention Deficit Disorder or ADHD, this is even more of an issue for you.

Negative self-talk has an exceptionally insidious effect on the human psyche. It’s demoralizing and depressing; it undermines self-esteem and motivation; and it is oppressive to the human spirit. Many people feel you attract to your life whatever you think about the most. Some call it the Law of Attraction, and it does seem that if you are thinking the worst, the worst usually happens.

You may not be able to eliminate negative self-talk from your life, but you don’t have to live with it unchallenged. If you hear yourself engaging in negative self-talk, you can do something about it. Consider the Three Cs Technique:

Catch it! In this step you simply observe yourself. Listen to the words. Notice when, where, and why you are so negative. Check it! In Step 2, you make the decision to stop using the expression or the language that is so negative. In other words, stop putting yourself down. Change it! Step 3 is more proactive. Counter your negative expression by changing it to the opposite, to a positive statement. Instead of saying, “I’m such a ditz!” repeat the affirmation “I am organized and I’ve got it together.” The idea is to let the positive affirmations work on your subconscious and create a new belief system to view your world from. And at the very least, you will enjoy hearing yourself saying positive things.

After you master the Three Cs Technique, take it one step further. If you really want the positive self-talk to work for you, consider repeating a positive mantra in different ways. Here’s one idea: State the affirmations in the past tense, then present tense, then in the future tense. Your affirmations might sound like this: “I have always been reliable.” “I am reliable.” “I will continue to be reliable.” Repeat these in that order ten times and do that series of repetitions a number of times during the day.

Or another variation: State the affirmation in the first person, second person, and third person. So Tom’s affirmation might sound like this: “I am a hard worker.” “You are a hard worker.” “Tom is a hard worker.”

For further reading, consider Oli Hille’s book Tips on Self Talk from Amazon. currently only $0.99 in the Kindle Store. By working on your subconscious with positive self-talk, you can change the way you think about yourself and create a new and better reality.

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