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How to Be Your Own Best Friend
Slightly Adapted from Change One™ by Readers Digest
Can't find a support team? Doing just fine on your own? Whether you're a
soloist or a team player, a few strategies can help you get through the
inevitable rough patches. The key is to be your own best friend. Here are
four ways to do that:
Banish negative thoughts. Most of us have heard the little voice
that whispers, "You just don't have what it takes." Learn to
recognize such negative thoughts and replace them with the kind of positive
messages a good friend would offer. "Sure you can do it."
"One slip-up is no big deal." "Keep up the good work."
Keep a journal. If that negative voice in your head just won't let
up, try carrying a small notebook with you this week and job down every
negative thought that occurs to you. You may be surprised to find that the
simple act of writing these thoughts down makes you see how irrational they
are. If you can't dismiss them, take a moment to come up with a positive
counter-message. I'm trying to improve myself" "I've stayed with
a healthy diet for 5 weeks, which is great. No one is perfect, I'm doing my
best." By keeping a diary, you'll also become aware of the situations
and circumstances that trigger negative thoughts. Avoid them if you can. If
you can't, have your positive counter-messages ready.
Reward yourself for a good job. When you reach one of your goals-
even if it's something simple, give yourself a reward. For a little extra
motivation, decide in advance what the reward will be: a new outfit, CD, or
tickets to a must-see concert.
Learn to laugh at yourself. Having a sense of humor can go a long
way when you're trying to make a big change in your life. Take yourself too
seriously and you'll slip into the kind of all-or-nothing thinking that
makes people give up before they've even given themselves a chance to
succeed.
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