Do you ever try to motivate yourself by being critical or by using negative self-talk?
Unfortunately, punishing yourself doesn’t usually cause you to change your behavior.
Instead, your brain hears your negative, chastising thoughts, and then it attempts to make them true.
In fact, whenever you label yourself with words such as “failure,” you usually just drag yourself down further.
It’s time for you to ditch the critic inside your head and take the opposite approach. Start telling yourself “Come on, you’re truly capable of doing anything!”
Jack Canfield, co-author of the Chicken Soup for the Soul series, teaches a great way to change negative self-talk.
He encourages people to respond to “put downs” or negative messages by saying this:
No matter what you say or do to me, I am still a worthwhile person!
Repeating this phrase over and over will help you mentally contradict hurtful or cut-down comments that can harm your self-esteem. It will also help you stop the negative messages inside your own head.
During times when you struggle with life issues, pull that phrase out again. Repeat it to yourself as many times as necessary. Then live as if it were true—because it is!
Today’s assignment (My answers are in blue)
1. In the space below or on a separate piece of paper, write down, “No matter what you say or do to me, I am still a worthwhile person.”
NO MATTER WHAT YOU SAY OR DO TO ME, I AM STILL A WORTHWHILE PERSON!
2. Then underline or highlight the words so they really hit home. Write a few notes about how you plan to use this in your life.
Every now and then, my self-esteem slips down into the dumps. When I recognize that it’s in response to other people, I pull out the above phrase, and pull myself back up!
3. Say this to yourself at least a dozen or more times today. Anytime you hear negative things from other people as well as from yourself, repeat this phrase again. Describe how you used this concept.
Lately I’ve been around some crazy drivers who have been “mean” to me. So I just yelled the phrase at them, and went on my way!