There I go again, being a jerk. Why am I so lazy? I keep repeating the same mistakes. I don’t deserve to be happy . . . Negative self-talk is a common symptom of depression and anxiety. It’s an attempt to motivate yourself by self-criticism. But you won’t make yourself feel better by making yourself feel worse.
Next time you notice yourself weighed down by negative self-talk, remind yourself of the many obstacles you’ve overcome in your life. Rather than wallowing in your mistakes and imperfections, rehearse your greatest hits, replay your personal triumphs. Be intentional with your thoughts.
Consider your refrigerator. No matter how long the light inside has been off, it turns back on when you open the door. Whether ten minutes of darkness or one hundred years of darkness, it’s dispelled immediately by a little light.
