Wednesday is my day at Standing On Peace...

so I thought, each Wednesday I can share what I've written. Also, this week the book giveaway is my choice, One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp, be sure to visit Standing On Peace for a chance to win!

You mean I’m not as bad as I think I am? Part Two - Changing negative self-talk

Do you experience negative self-talk?

You can choose to change it.

Changing negative self-talk is difficult and does take work, however the end result is worth it.

At first you may feel silly, perhaps kind of stupid or you may even feel like you are lying to yourself. But I promise that changing the way you talk to yourself will have a great impact in all areas of your life.

You will gain an increased sense of positive self-worth. The black cloud created by the negative thoughts will be there less and maybe even gone completely one day.

8 Tips for changing negative self-talk

1. Stop the tape before it starts. When we are triggered and the negative thoughts begins, turn it off. Think STOP.
2. Think of a key phrase, word, Scripture, something meaningful to you. I borrowed mine from Bible teacher Beth Moore. To overcome negative thinking she used the phrase “Crucify That”. Each time a negative thought would pop-up I would think “Crucify That”.
3. Next, do something to shift your focus. Pray, read, exercise, write or call a friend.
4. Replace the negative thought with a milder thought. Instead of thinking “I’m a terrible mother!” Think, “I’m not a terrible mother, I lost my patience. Next time I’ll do better.”
5. Remember to be kind to yourself. No one is perfect. No one can be one thing all of the time.
6. Write a list of your negative thoughts and write a list of the corresponding positive thoughts. For example: Negative thought: “I’m a horrible person” Positive thought: “I’m a good person. I’m caring and I do things for others.”
7. Make a list of your good qualities. For example, I’m a good listener, I’m trustworthy, and so on. This may be difficult if you aren’t used to thinking positive things about yourself. Ask someone you trust what good qualities they see in you. Save your list and read it on the rough days.
8. Trust God. “You are fearfully and wonderfully made” Psalm 139:14. Believe it or not, God has created you to be exactly who He wants you to be. Scripture is full of what God thinks of you. Search Scripture.  Tuck those treasures in your mind. You will then begin to believe them too.

Remember nothing worth doing is easy. It will take effort on your part to make change, but you are worth it.

Start today!