Turning Negative Self Talk into Positive Self Talk


This can be viewed as a follow-on to my "Keeping Negative Energy at Bay" post. The following is a chart that takes commonly used negative words and phrases and gives you the Positive words and phrases that you should replace them with. This chart is by no means comprehensive. It is meant to be a starting place. If during your review of this chart you can think of some words and phrases that I omitted, please let me know, along with their positive opposites, and I will add them. In fact consider this, if you like, as an exercise.


Negative Words and Expressions Positive Words and Expressions
Agitated Happy
Alarmed Aware
Ambivalence Passion
Anger Forbearance
Anguished Determine the cause, and act upon it
Apathy Enthusiastic
Apprehension Confidence, self-trust, excited
At the mercy of I will take control of
Awkward Adept
Baffled I will understand it
Bewildered Become informed
Can't be trusted Integrity, trust
Complain Look for a solution
confused Become informed
Cowardice Courage
Despair Hope
Desperate Hopeful
Destiny, it won't happen Faith, that it will happen
Disgusted Understand it...then remove it
Disinterested Learn, discover, explore, interested
Displeased Do what's necessary to remove the displeasure
Dissatisfied Change it so that it meets with your satisfaction
Distrust yourself Confidence, self-trust
Disturbed Understand and/or remove the cause of the disturbance
Doubt Confidence
Dread Courage
Envy I will turn the envy into desire and then pursue it, or let it go
Evil Good
Eye contact avoidance Eye contact attainment
Fail, as in give up or not try Succeed by never giving up
Fear, afraid Anticipation, excitement
Fidgety Easy, calm
Follower Leader
Frightened Courageous
Frown Smile
Futile Make it effective, or move on
Give up, not try Accomplish
Give up, not try Achieve
Give up, not try Flourish
Give up, not try Overcome
Give up, not try Prevail
Give up, not try Thrive
Greedy Generous
Grief I will work through it and not around it
Grudge I will find the source, deal with it, then let it go
Guilt I will understand the source, deal with it, then let it go
Hate Tolerance
Helpless I will take control of my life
Hesitant Certain
Hindered See to it that the cause of the hindrance is removed
I am a victim I am in control
I am scared of change I look forward to change, it may bring new and greater opportunities.
I can't do it I can do it
I don't believe I believe in me
I don't have the knowledge to do it I will obtain the knowledge to do it
I don't know how I will find out how
I feel like a loser I feel like a winner
I give up I will never, ever, ever, give up - persistence
I have an excuse I have no excuse, I will do better next time
I have no time to do that I will make the time to do that
I long for the past I look forward to the future
I may fail I will succeed, maybe not this time, but next time
I may fall I will always get up again
I play it safe I take risks
I see a problem in every opportunity I see an opportunity in every problem
I was never able to do it I never wanted to do it; I never thought I could
I will try to do it I will do it
I'm a loser I'm a winner
I'm bored I will make my own fun
I'm no good I'm very good
I'm not worthy I am worthy
I'm scared I'm excited
I'm too poor I will work with what I have to gain what I want
If I could get a better job I will look for a better job
If I could meet the right people I am only 7 people away from anyone on earth
If I could only do it again I will do it much better next time
If I could only get a break I will make my own breaks
If I could only save some money I will find a way to save money
If I did not have to work so hard I will work smarter or will find a different line of work
If I had been born rich I will get what I need
If I had only embraced past opportunities Starting now I will find new opportunities
If I only had a business of my own I will start my own business and I will make it work
If I only had somebody to help me I will obtain what I need
If I only had the talent I will discover my talents
If I only were younger My life starts now
If I were educated I will go back to school
If I were in better health I will work with what I have
If I were not so fat I will lose weight or I will accept myself
If I were not so unlucky Luck is giving up control...I will take the control back
If I were only sure of myself I will change my attitude so that I can believe in myself
If my past did not haunt me I will not live in the past, I will live in the present
If only I had a better personality My personality is a function of my attitude...I will change my attitude
If other people understood me I will understand myself so that I can understand others
If others didn't keep me down (victim) No one can keep me down unless I let them
If things were different I will make things different
If times were better I will make the best of the time we are in
Immoral Moral
Impatient I will become more patient
Imprisoned Freedom
Inconsiderate Considerate
Inconsistent Consistent
Indecision Decisive, confidence, self-trust
Indecisive Decisive
Indifference Ambitious
Insecure Secure
Intimidated Emboldened
Irresponsible Responsible
It won't happen It will happen
It's no fun I will make it fun
It's too difficult If it's possible, I will do it
It's too hard to do It will be easy, once I have learned how
Jealous Trusting
Jittery Easy, calm
Lie, false, dishonest Truth, honest
Look down Look ahead
Loss Profit
Lost I will find my way
Mad Foregiving
Negative mental attitude, doomed to fail Positive mental attitude, born to win
Nervous Courageous
On edge Calm
Overwhelmed I will organize
Pain I will find a way to relieve it, or I will deal with it
Panicky Calm
Part of the problem Part of the solution
Passive Assertive
Perplexed I will get clarification
Procrastination Expedite
Resentful I will find the source, deal with it, then let it go
Restless Calm, courageous
Revenge Forgiveness
Satisfied with mediocrity Strives for excellence
Shaky Calm
Sickened I will deal with the cause, or I will remove the cause
Skeptical I will do what it take to remove the doubt, or move on
Strained Easy and relaxed, with confidence
Succumb Surmount
Superstitious I will take control of my life
Swamped I will organize and set priorities
Tense Calm
Terrified I will understand if the source is within my control or not, then deal with it accordingly
That's an obstacle that I can't get around That is a challenge to be vanquished
That's not my job Let me do it for you
There is no way I will find a way
Thoughtless Thoughtfulness
Timid Bold
Tormented I will deal with the source of the torment and/or remove it from my mind
Uncomfortable Comfortable
Uncommitted Committed
Uneasy Easy
Unfair Overcome it
Unfocused Focused
Ungrateful I am grateful for what I have
Unhappy Happy
Unlucky I make my own luck
Unpopular I am responsible for what I project
Un-prosperous Prosperous
Unreliable Reliable
Un-resourceful Resourceful
Unsure I am very sure of myself
What would others say What would I say if I don't ...
Worry Confidence, self-trust, action

By Mel Kaye

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