By repeating these affirmations daily or weekly, you can create a positive habit of self-talk that can lead to better self-esteem and a more fulfilling life. Choose the affirmations that resonate most with you, and customize them to fit your personal goals and aspirations. Remember that the more you believe and internalize these affirmations, the more powerful their impact will be on your life. Overthinking difficult or upsetting thoughts is an anxious and, simultaneously, almost addictive experience. Choosing to locate and think about those things for which we cannot answer, or find upsetting, is rather common. Perhaps it is easier to do this than to provide ourselves with reassurance or care. This seems to sum up both the rewarding and difficult aspects of overthinking quite well. How psychotherapy can help What am I going to do about my problems right now? There are two ways to deal with problems. The first involves reacting emotionally – which leads to negative thoughts. The second involves responding logically. Make sure you choose one approach over the other! Where does self-doubt come from? Self-doubt stems from our unwillingness to accept responsibility for our actions. Our egos make us feel guilty if something goes wrong, and this guilt often leads us to blame ourselves for situations far outside of our control. Kleinman A. Anthropology and psychiatry: the role of culture in cross-cultural research on illness. British Journal of Psychiatry. 1987; 151:447–454. [ PubMed] [ Google Scholar]

What do I want to happen to me? If life was a movie, and you were given an opportunity to play an important role in the story, what part would you choose to act out? What type of character would you like to be? So whether you’re new to journaling or a seasoned pro, incorporating overthinking prompts into your practice can be a game-changer. Not only do they give you a direction to go in, but they also help you break free from the cycle of overthinking and self-doubt that can often come with journaling. So grab your pen and paper, find a prompt that speaks to you, and see where the journey takes you. Kaiser B, Kohrt B, Wagenaar B, Kramer M, McLean K, Hagaman A, Khoury N, Keys H. Scale properties of an ethnographically-grounded idioms of distress screener in rural Haiti: Association with depression, anxiety, and sociocultural risk factors. International Journal of Culture and Mental Health. 2015 doi: 10.1080/17542863.2015.1015580. e-pub ahead of print. [ CrossRef] [ Google Scholar]

Creative journal prompts to calm the mind

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Can I trust myself? Most of us spend hundreds of hours worrying. But there is really no reason to worry. By following your heart, you’ll discover a way to live happily regardless.