It is true, the more you repeat something to yourself the more you believe it. Doesn't make it true though. You say be honest with yourself and then say the exact opposite, to lie to yourself until you believe it. This is where all that positive psychology stuff leads, to self delusion and ultimately mental breakdown. The fact is, it is our emotions that drive behavior and attitudes. Persistently ignoring your feelings only gives them more power, and you have to try harder and harder all the time to keep them down, until you waste all your energy doing nothing else. Surrounding yourself with sycophants and other mindless idiots is not a good idea. History should tell you that. If you feel bad about yourself there is always a cause, something in childhood, maybe the cumulative effect of lots of shitty little events in childhood that you've just seen as normal. It may be hard to face up to the truth, but no good comes from running away.
Do You Criticize Yourself Too Much?
Follow these steps to quiet your inner critic.
Posted Feb 03, 2019

It’s important to be honest with ourselves. After all, too many people just say what we want to hear instead of sharing a candid perspective. But, where do we draw the line between honesty and stubborn negativity? Is it practical to be our own biggest cheerleader? Or, are we just fooling ourselves into thinking that we are capable when we truly are not?
Constant self-doubt is never a good thing. Sometimes, self-doubt might lead us away from a potential opportunity. Self-doubt could even cause us to step back before ever trying to see if we can make it. While honesty is vital, it’s important to learn how to quiet our inner critic, too. You can be frank while still being hopeful. Read on to learn how.
Positive Self-Talk
Overcome the critical voice in your head by using positive self-talk. Instead of just assuming that you aren’t good enough or that you won’t be successful, say words out loud like, “I can do this” or “My hard work will pay off.”
Look in the Mirror
Practice using positive self-talk while looking directly in the mirror, so that you are literally talking to yourself. Consider this exercise: Find one new thing that you love about yourself every day. In the morning, before you start your day, look at yourself in the mirror and say, “I love my [blank].” You might fill in that blank with words like smile, kind eyes, or friendly nature. See how many days you can go without repeating a quality or attribute that you love about yourself.
Our Attitude Drives our Behavior
The more that we use positive self-talk, the more we believe it. Those words become our mantra, and we say positive things about ourselves more and more regularly. Our attitude drives our behavior. So, a positive attitude will lead us to persist even when placed in a tough situation.
It’s normal to doubt ourselves. Be honest when evaluating your own strengths and areas of opportunity. Surround yourself with people who support you and your dreams. Participate in online communities or support groups to give you the tools and the understanding audience that you need to be successful. And, know that it’s okay to fail! When we bounce back from failure, we are that much closer to success. Remember that we either learn to fail or fail to learn. Which path do you choose?
Copyright© 2019 Amy Cooper Hakim