[Nixie_K]

I know what you mean. I've had the seed of doubt planted in my head since I was a child. The more I believed it, the bigger it grew to this monstrous creature that has taken over me completely. Others tell me to be positive daily and it will vanish, but what they don't understand is; this isn't something that happened over night or the past week. This way of thinking has been ingrained or branded into my brain. I want to change is, but where do I start?

Start by taking care of yourself the best you can.
This means managing all areas of your life in a healthy and realistic manner.
Making and reaching short and long term goals is crucial for healthy self-esteem.
The better you live your life, the better you will feel about yourself

Do not ever say, "I can't"
Always say, "I Will!"

[SmileHere]

Nixie, I can relate. My mum has always been pretty negative about things - she said she praised kids a lot when we were little but I don't remember. (Excessive or inappropriate) praise can sometimes lead to problems too.

Maybe it's good to realize that your way of thinking has benefits too - just 'positive' thinkers can sometimes overlook important info or may go about things too carelessly, in comparison to 'negative thinking'. There's even a book about the benefits of negative thinking

Aside from that, you can read books on empowerment/self-help, write down your good characteristics and accomplishments... The above advice is really good too...

[thylacine492]

If this pertains to you, you might want to identify any major issues that have arrived due to a relation between you and a parent or friend and try to talk to them about what caused the issue. I was forced to do this one night when my parents confronted me over grades and, after the breaking down and self-loathing that comes with crying for me, I felt better since I realized my parents don't expect me to become top ten percent Harvard graduate extraordinaire.

[PianogirlPlays]

I understand. I hurt myself inside from negative thinking. So hard to stay in a positive mode. My art and friendships help me.