If you’re at all like me then you realize one of the problems that arise like the sun at its zenith is negative self-talk. I’m not simply referring to the normal self-doubt and negative thoughts that pass like clouds on a windy day. No, I mean thoughts that linger and won’t seem to go away. I’ve come to learn the ruminating self-deprecating thoughts I deal with are a stain left over from the traumas of a difficult childhood as well as those I experienced during my incarceration. These thoughts make it difficult to see the truth especially when the symptoms of my PICS are flaring up. In short, I’ve come to learn the saying “Self-actualization demands you think right about yourself”, is one hundred percent true. The question, “How can I do so when my mind is telling me something different?”
“Right thinking is truth. Start Rethinking and Renewing your mind.”
A tool I’ve learned and am using to help me eliminate my negative self-talk and manage my PICS consists of two parts which are.
1). Write down your strengths and weaknesses then what you can do to become stronger in each area.
Example: Strengths – I grasp concepts and ideas quickly. I am a self-starter. I have great leadership skills and abilities.
I am intelligent and work well with others, which makes me a great team player.
Weaknesses: Procrastination. Taking on too much at once; Self-doubt. I am often reluctant to ask for help out of fear of seeming incompetent.
To become stronger in these areas I can limit the number of tasks I take on by not taking on new tasks until a current one is completed, whenever possible. This will help eliminate both self-doubt and procrastination by ensuring I’m not making myself feel the pressure of being overwhelmed.
Once I’ve completed part 1. I move on to part 2. How to turn off stinking thinking.
2). A. Evaluate what you must eliminate. You should evaluate according to your core constitution. Ask yourself who is my authentic self.
B. Eliminate what must not dominate. In my case, this is done by replacing all the negative self-talk with positive affirmations and information. The source does not matter as long as it is positive and true.
C. Prioritize what you evaluate. Don’t allow yourself to become a personality hoarder. For example, my strengths take priority over my weaknesses. I try to focus on building on those more than on my weaknesses. By building on and enhancing my strengths I can eliminate my weaknesses. Thereby, eliminating my negative personality traits and healing my PICS simultaneously. By Akili