There you go again…. Criticizing yourself with negative thoughts and always worrying about what other people think. As a women with ADHD you may worry about what people think about your opinions and decisions. You may not feel good about yourself, so you hold back. But this only achieves one thing; it keeps you right where you are in life and missing the opportunities and the what ifs. The following ways can help you change your negative thinking and start believing in yourself again.
Recognize The True Impact of Your Thoughts – Group together on how your thinking affects your daily life. By knowing how and observing your thoughts, you will come to recognize when and how they affect your life. Take a few minutes each day to reflect on your thoughts. Write in a journal to record how those thoughts made you feel and when they occurred. Once you see patterns, you will be able to deal with them more effectively.
Talk To A Friend – You don’t have to face these challenges alone. Talk to a friend that you can trust. A friend might be going through the same thing you are thereby it is an opportunity to discuss and support each other. Chatting with a friend over coffee and being open about your thoughts will not only help you take a rational look at your thoughts but a friend can offer you the advantage of being on the outside looking in. They will see a version of you without the influence of your mental narrative, but just giving you another voice to listen to.
Plan Your Worry – One way to help is to set specific times just for worrying. Try reserving 10 minutes a few times in the week to worry about things. After this time of negative thinking, acknowledge that you are done worrying for awhile. This will help you box negative thinking into specific times, encouraging you to live a negative free life the rest of the week.
Cultivate New Thoughts – You probably know why you have negative thoughts. Maybe you have tried a new hobby and gave up? Negative events can pull you into a habit of negative thinking and before you know it you have lost confidence. Whatever it may be, you can encourage more positive thoughts by purposefully separating the past, present and allowing your mind to think of something new. You may consider the following – finding joy in the present moment, the good things that you have in life, and expressing gratitude for the positive people that you have in life.
Cherish your strengths – Don’t allow the negative thinking in one area of your life carry over to the other areas. When you are aware of negative thinking, turn your attention to positive aspects of your life, and cherish and value them. Your home, friends, health, job, and just being alive are all tremendous things to be grateful for. Give yourself a slap on the back when you’ve done something you’re happy with. Nothing’s wrong with a little self-love now and again, so don’t be modest; praise yourself.