Life Scripts
We all have ‘life scripts’, whats yours? – words or thoughts that we repeatedly have in our heads that either help us or drive us crazy. We learn them when very young, and over time they become embedded in our way of thinking. They can work against us (a good attitude and being positive) or against us, increasing our stress.
To change them, we need to challenge them and replace them with more positive, helpful thoughts. These will increase our self-confidence and feelings of self-worth.
Examples
- I can never do that (negative thinking – self-defeating)
- Not good enough for that position (negative thinking – self-defeating)
- Don’t have the confidence for such an activity (negative thinking – self-defeating)
- I think I am good at most things (positive thinking – self enhancing)
- He/she is lucky to have me (positive thinking – self enhancing)
What’s your Script?
- Take a moment to reflect
- Are you generally more optimistic or pessimistic in outlook?
- When things don’t work out for you, what are the ‘scripts’ in your head?
- What is the one that is strongest? Something like ‘I am so stupid’ is common
- Do these thoughts in your head help you or keep you back?
Changing Negative Scripts
- It’s hard to change how you think, particularly if you have been thinking negatively for a long time. So what can you do?
- Make a list of positive things about yourself
- Keep this list easily available – on the fridge, in the car, stuck onto your computer
- Keep a record in your diary for 2 days, identifying how many negative thoughts you have about yourself.
- Now each time you have a ‘bad’ thought, replace it with one of the positive thoughts on your list
- Keep doing that over and over and over again
If you are interested in understanding your ‘Scripts’ better and turning them into positive thoughts, contact Caryn@carynwalsh.com.au