“I am a failure”
“I am stupid” "This is never gonna work"
What’s the value of such generic negative statements repeating in some of our minds?
PC - https://zcu.io/G1m4
For a moment if we assume that our minds have our self-interest as priorities, then negative self-talk does not make sense, right? Have we been infected with a thought virus that’s destroying us or do these kinds of statements communicate some type of reality we are in?
Absolute generic negative statements are as much a delusion as believing in flying horses. It’s when our “self-interest” marries our imagination to produce things that poke us all the time. But why?
Repetitive negative thinking, in spite of all the obvious effects, stirs us up. It triggers the brain chemicals. It forces us to act.
One thing though — negative thinking can only exist when we have stakes at hand. It’s there to remind us of things that are important to us. It’s our mind’s last few trump cards before we give up on our priorities.
The next time you feel excessively self-critical, remind yourself that
1. It exists because you care about something deeply
2. Your mind is trying to find ways to trigger yourself to act.
3. By replacing negative triggers with positive ones, you can orient your intelligence in more expansive ways than anxiety and stress.