If you catch yourself on a self-deprecating rant, check in with yourself and ask, “Would I say this to _____? ” If the answer is “no, ” then you don’t deserve to be spoken to in that way either. Don’t let these insults pass without defending yourself against your own negative self-talk.

Inexperienced questions such as "I'm thinking about [action]. What do you think?" are seldom answered because answering would take too much effort.

This is because naive questions lack the necessary context while failing to respect the recipient's time, energy and attention. Inste...

Negative thoughts can take root in your mind and distort the severity of the situation. Ask yourself if your fears are warranted, and see where you can take back control.