You’re caught up in a cycle. You know the one. You’ve been talking down to yourself for a while. Every word in your mind points out your flaws and mistakes to where you think you’re going to go crazy from listening to it if you haven’t already.
Negative self-talk can be just this insidious. It gets in your head, courtesy of previous experiences, and negative input from people who don’t always mean well. Once there, it plays the same song on repeat, growing somehow worse with every retelling until you quit trying. Your dreams stall out, and you find yourself doing very little at all.
Finally, you need to take your life back and put an end to the negative self-talk once and for all.
Easier said than done? Not necessarily. Try these things:
Find the Calm
First of all, you can’t combat anything when you’re overly emotional and overwhelmed mentally. Find a quiet place and sit down to take a few deep breaths. If you can, meditate or try a mindfulness exercise until you can reach a peaceful place internally.
Take Note of What You’re Thinking
Don’t avoid the negative thought. Listen to it. What is it saying? Whose voice does it sound like?
Dig into the Roots
Now ask yourself what the thought represents. Where did this come from? Is this from an expectation you put on yourself at some point, or does it come from someone else entirely?
Drop the Unreasonable Expectation
Are you trying too hard to be perfect in some regard? Is there a more reasonable expectation you can put on yourself in the place of this thought?
Turn It Around
What is the positive counterpoint to this thought? For example, if you’re worried about how bad you are with money, remind yourself of a time when you saved up for something you wanted, or think about a time when you paid off a debt and how good it felt afterward.
Create a Habit
If this thought is one which comes around often, what is the new thought you want to replace it with? How can you make this thought a habit? Consider this: the more you react in a new way to an old stimulus, the quicker a new habit is formed, and the old reaction disappears.
Just Stop
In the end, the only way to get rid of a negative thought is to consciously put a halt to it. Once you’ve gone through these steps, tell yourself to stop when the idea comes up again, and keep telling it to stop until it goes away completely.
Please note: You don’t have to listen to negativity but sometimes it becomes so firmly entrenched you might have trouble dislodging it by yourself. When this happens, don’t be afraid to ask for help. Talking to a trusted friend or counselor can help you lay this negative chatter to rest once and for all.
Consider these ideas for replacing negative thoughts with positive thoughts:
1) Seek truth. Jesus Said, Ye shall know the truth and the truth will make you free (John 8:32). Learn truth about yourself and God.
2) Understand more fully the power of God in your life and seek for understanding about his relationship with you. Look for passages that show this relationship between you and Him. This website will allow you to easily search: ChurchofJesusChrist.org (click on libraries, study helps).
3) Memorize some of the passages that inspire you the most. These will become a “go to source” as you learn to focus on the positive.
4) Personalize the scripture to yourself by substituting “I, Me, or My” into the scriptures. This helps you program your subconscious mind to feed you positive information.
5) Rhyme the Key Words in the Scriptures with the Scriptural Reference. Rhyming will help you remember where to find the scripture easier.
Some examples of Scriptures Rhymed and Personalized
1) I am created in the image of my Father in Heaven (Genesis 1:26-27).
2) I look unto my Savior-In every thought affix (DC 6:36).
3) I will not fail thee nor forsake thee (Joshua 1:5 & 3).
4) I trust in the Lord, my path he directs (Proverbs 3:5-6).
5) Noble and great ones, you and me (Abraham 3:22-23).
6) Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and makes my spirit thrive (Psalm 119:105).
7) God’s work and glory is also mine (Moses 1:39).
8) I choose today to serve God and love my fellow-being (Joshua 24:15).
9) My heart is seen by Father in Heaven (1 Samuel 16:7).
10) I have clean hands and a heart that’s pure (Psalm 24:3-4)
Boyd K. Packer said: True doctrine, understood, changes attitudes and behavior. The study of the doctrines of the gospel will improve behavior quicker than a study of behavior will improve behavior [“Little Children,” Ensign, November 1986, 17].
I have a bunch of scriptures that I’ve personalized and rhymed. These have been put on cards, with the scripture reference on one side and the scripture and key words on the other. I’ve found they help me replace negative thoughts and train my mind to be hopeful and positive.
Pick a favorite scripture and see how it works for you. Pray for Heavenly Father to help you – after all; you are his child, created in His image. He loves you and wants you to be happy. When we put our trust in him, our faith increases and our confidence grows- just as Paul taught in the New Testament: (Philippians 4:13) I can do all things through Christ who strengthen me.
Just for practice: Make an effort to rhyme this scripture with the reference so it easier to remember. It is already personalized for you by Paul the Apostle.
Please let me know how it goes for you in your desire and efforts eliminate unwanted negative thoughts. I would like to hear from you.
Merlin Frei
p.s. You are invited to checkout my website:
https://prosperwithmerlin.com/shop
There are more personalized, rhyming scriptures you can download. These come in a format with the key words on one side of a card and the reference on the other. You’ll need some scissors or a paper cutter to cut out the cards and you are ready to go. Look for the cards and other helps to build faith in Jesus Christ. If you have read this far, you have what it takes to change any negative thought or habit. For best results set your printer to print on both sides and us card stock.