5 Tools for Pushing Back Against Negative Self-Talk

It’s important to know that if your negative thoughts are persistent — impacting your quality of life and functioning — it could be a sign of something more serious. Consult a therapist or psychologist to get the best possible support.

When it comes to mental health conditions, having a sounding board from an unbiased outsider’s perspective can sometimes totally shift the way you think.

Journaling can be great for getting stuff off your chest and to become more self-aware. Often, we are unaware of our negative thoughts and miss the chance of challenging them — but writing regularly can help with that.

You can create a two-column journal. In the first column, keep notes on any self-criticism that comes up throughout the day. Later, rewrite the first column in more empowering or positive ways to reframe it.

If you’re beating yourself up over something, picture someone that you love in your shoes and think what would you say or do to support them. This allows you to take a step back and practice a little self-compassion, it can help to keep things in perspective.

Meditation helps you become aware of the negative ideas about yourself that you learned from experience, it allows you to rewrite the negative mental script that your brain likes to repeat.

... is a reminder that we are not our thoughts — we’re just the person listening to them, and as such we can distance ourselves from our thoughts.

Be sure not to identify with your thoughts or place too much weight on them. Think of yourself as the filter, deciding which thoughts to hold on to and which ones to let go.