Overcome Those Self-Defeating Thoughts

A self-defeating thought is more commonly known as beating yourself up over something, or telling yourself that you do not deserve something that should bring you happiness. We do these things all the time, and they can have a significant impact on overall physical and mental well-being.

With a little mindfulness, you can learn to recognize those self-defeating thoughts and develop a plan to overcome them.

Cut Yourself Some Slack

One of life’s great paradoxes is that we all secretly want to be perfect, even though we know it’s never going to happen. The conflict between those two things can often lead to self-defeating thoughts.

The next time you fall short of your expectations, remember that you’re not perfect and are bound to make mistakes every once in a while. Instead of dwelling on what you did wrong, focus on what you can improve upon next time.

Over time, the feelings of defeat will recede as you train your brain to focus on positive outcomes instead of self-defeating thoughts when things don’t go your way.

Celebrate Who You Are

Self-defeating thoughts also arise when we try too hard to fit in with a group and fail to live up to our expectations. You’re never going to feel like you’re good enough if you’re trying to live up to an ideal that doesn’t match your authentic self.

Instead of getting caught up in this vicious cycle, focus on simply being who you are. The people who truly care about you will accept you for who you are, rather than forcing you to be someone that you’re not.

It’s much harder for self-doubt to exist when you’re true to yourself because you’re eliminating the expectations to feel, look, or act a certain way. It’s a liberating feeling and one that everyone should have the opportunity to experience!