Negative Self Talk
Negative self talk is the set of unrealistic, hypercritical statements you make about yourself or your situation when you are scared, embarrassed, angry, or depressed. These statements can be voiced aloud or silently, but the worst part about them is that they keeps you stuck in self-defeating behaviors and reinforces an image of yourself as a powerless victim of fate!
To overcome negative self talk, try this for one month:
1. Identify the negative put downs you use
when you're upset and construct more realistic alternatives.
2 Each time you catch yourself using one
of your negative statements, replace it with the appropriate alternative.
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NEGATIVE STATEMENT
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REALISTIC ALTERNATIVE
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I'm stupid! I can't learn this stuff!
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I'm not stupid and I can learn! If I start in the right
math course and work hard, I can learn most of this, maybe all of it!
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Well, duh! What's the matter with me? I should have seen
that right away!
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My teacher says mathematical ideas are subtle. After you
figure them out, they seems obvious, but they're not obvious beforehand.
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Come on, Dummy! Why'd you miss that sign? You can't do
anything right!
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Looks like I'm in too much of a hurry. Guess I need to
slow down and watch what I'm doing.
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I hate math! Nobody should have to learn this stuff to
get a degree!
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I never liked math, but this course is required for my
major, so it must be important. I'm going to pretend to like it, do the
work, and see how I do.
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Courses |