Negative thoughts plague us all.
They can come in all forms, such as intrusive thoughts or calling ourselves down. Examples of these thoughts include " I'm trash," "I want to die," and "People would be better if I just left them alone."
When you tell yourself these negative thoughts, you begin to strengthen the belief that these thoughts are true. When saying "I want to die" multiple times over weeks, months, or years, you help that feeling strengthen.
A simple way to counter these thoughts can be to repeat the opposite containing the truth three or more times every time the thought enters your mind. Of course, it is preferable to repeat the positive aloud; however, this activity will also work if repeated in your mind or silently.
Like the negative thoughts, you begin to convince yourself of the narrative you are writing by repeating the countered idea.,.Instead,
Negative thought | Countered thought |
I'm trash. | I may not be happy with my accomplishments, but I know I have room to grow. |
I am worthless. | I decide my worth. I realize I am unhappy, and I am going to make changes to be happy. |
I want to die. | I am unhappy with the situation/ my life right now, and I want the pain and darkness to end, but I want to live. I want to live. I want to live. |
Everyone would be better off if I left them alone. | If that were true, everyone would have left me. I will make sure I compliment and change someone's life every day. No matter how small the action. |
I fail everything I try. | I may not be successful the first time I try something new, but this gives me a chance to learn/ I know when I figure this out and if I experience this issue again, I will know how to navigate it. |
I am a waste of space and resources. | I impact the lives of others in both small and large ways. I will try to go out of my way to show kindness to three people daily. |
The critical part of countering these thoughts is to follow through with the actions stated in your counter.
You can change the countered thought in any way. However, it must feel like it could be true today or one day, even if you don't believe what you are saying.
You are worth the effort it takes to improve your life.