Beth Osmer

How to recognize negative self-beliefs in your life

negative self-belief

What are negative self-beliefs?

Negative self-beliefs are lies that we believe about ourselves that impact our opinion, our attitude of ourselves, and the world around us. These feelings are incredibly harmful, and a lot of people function daily without realizing how damaging their thoughts are.

How do I know if I have negative self-beliefs?

Do you ever find yourself thinking:

  • I’m not good enough.
  • I’m not smart enough.
  • I’m not pretty enough.
  • Nobody could ever love me.
  • I’m worthless.
  • I mess everything up.

Or anything similar? These are statements used to define something that you believe about yourself, but it is important to remember that they are not true. Perfectionism, the need to achieve, and the need for approval are all factors that create negative self-beliefs.

How do negative self-beliefs impact your life?

The core beliefs you have will show in your life in times of celebration and in times of distress. What you hold inside of you will come out of you regardless of how long or how hard you try to hold it in. Have you ever struggled to celebrate an accomplishment because you’re unsure if you are deserving? Have you ever struggled to celebrate a colleague’s accomplishment because it made you feel inadequate? Negative self-beliefs hold you back from experiencing the fullness of life, and they also make your hardest times unbearable. Shame, fear, and anxiety are all common daily emotions for people with negative self-beliefs.

Not only do they affect yourself, but they affect the people around you. Often when you have negative self-beliefs the negative energy within starts to affect your aura. The people around you can see the negativity that surrounds you, and it will affect the way they treat you. If we don’t think highly of ourselves, how can we expect the people in our lives to?

How can you change negative self-beliefs?

Moving from hurting to healthy

Our personal beliefs are learned and formed over a long period of time, making them hard to change. Start by accepting feelings. Don’t judge what you think or feel, and don’t ignore them. Be honest about where you are at and just feel. This acceptance hurts, but ultimately it is an acceptance that brings peace. You will not be able to release negativity that you are holding onto without first recognizing and accepting it. Then start replacing your negative thoughts with positive ones. Instead of, “I can’t handle this,” adjust to “I didn’t see this coming, but I can work through it,” or “I have the support I need to help me get through this.” These thoughts are both positive and true. Developing new beliefs and ways of thinking will require some extra effort at first, but will make you a stronger, confident person.

What are the benefits of changing negative self-beliefs?

After a period of time of consistently working to change your negative beliefs, you’ll start to find that you see things differently in your life and the world. The benefits include:

  • Feeling happier.
  • More self-confidence.
  • Feeling motivated to take more risks in life. (You can do it!)
  • Improved relationships with the people in your life.
  • Advancing more in the workplace.
  • Better self-image.
  • Improved physical health.

Wait, did I just say physical health? Yes! Negative self-beliefs can cause stress and anxiety which greatly affect our physical health every day. The benefits of having a positive mindset are immeasurable, and you will create a stronger bond with your true self.

Identifying and changing negative beliefs can require a lot of emotional energy and can be very challenging. For some people, the best thing to do when addressing these hard thoughts and feelings is to walk through the process of recognition and change with someone who can help you through this process.

I would love to help you learn more about this process, and how you can start making a positive change in your life today! Schedule your complimentary 30-minute phone consultation today!