Struggling With Negative Beliefs? Put These On Your Reading List

“I’m unlovable.”

“I always mess things up.”

“I’m never going to accomplish this.”

Do any of these phrases sound familiar to you? If they do you are not alone. These are all thoughts that have replayed in my mind over and over and over… It almost seems never-ending when it gets started. Thankfully these thoughts come less often because I’ve learned how to recognize them when they start, and I now have tools that help me redirect them. These signs and tools entered my life in the form of books and I am sharing them with you today.

It wasn’t until I tried having a network marketing business, that I was introduced to personal development books or “self-help” books as some people call them. While I no longer have that business I will always be grateful for that experience because of the books I was introduced to during that time. The tools I have learned to put into practice have saved my life. Okay, enough of the backstory — let’s get to the books!

4 Books That Will Help You Quiet The Negative Self-Talk

1. Unqualified by Steven Furtick

Post-grad depression is a real thing. I was trapped in it for months. Reading this book helped me to begin to heal and feel more like myself. Unqualified takes a look at the lies we tell ourselves about who we are and how inadequate we are. Furtick uses biblical examples to teach us that everyone has shortcomings, but God can use those weaknesses and turn them into strengths. He can use your story no matter how unqualified you think you are.

This book taught me that it’s okay if I have weaknesses I’d rather not have, or that I wish I was stronger in certain aspects of my life. That doesn’t mean I stop trying because God can use that to better me in whatever I think I’m unqualified in, which in turn will show His strength through me.

Everyone has something they wish they were better at, a passion they wish they had, etc.. Instead of getting in our head, and counting ourselves out, we can change our narrative. For example, I may not be in my dream career yet; but I will continue working hard, and looking for new opportunities until I get there.

2. The 5 Second Rule by Mel Robbins

If you are looking for a life-changing book do yourself a favor and put this on your reading list. This is one of the best books I have ever read. The idea is that you want to take action before your brain holds you back. To do this, all you need to do is a countdown from five.

5 4 3 2 1 take action.

Mel Robbins started this mind hack to wake up in the morning. Now this hack has transformed lives in areas such as health, business, and even more. The 5 Second Rule is filled with the science behind the rule, Mel’s experience, and many others’ testimonies about how the 5 Second Rule has changed their lives.

I have used this rule myself to wake up early, but also to redirect my thoughts. As soon as I catch myself going down the negative self-talk express, I countdown and then move on to something else or distract myself from the thought. This takes practice, but the benefit of a better mindset is worth the effort.

3. You Are A Badass by Jen Sincero

This was the first audiobook I ever listened to. I believe it made the message much more powerful listening to it rather than reading it. In You Are A Badass Jen Sincero walks you through why you believe the things you do and then shares how to retrain your brain to think differently.

I never understood how important past events and behaviors feed into the messages you tell yourself. Reading You Are A Badass challenged me to start listening to the never-ending loop my brain plays, and change tracks if needed. I learned how important self-love is in stopping the negative self-talk. This book has impacted me in such a way that I’ve listened to it twice, and I’ve never done that before.

4. Everything Is Figureoutable by Marie Forleo

Everything Is Figureoutable is what I’m currently reading. I haven’t even made it halfway but I’ve already had some breakthroughs. The lesson I have taken away so far is that I need to believe in myself. Sounds simple enough right? The truth is believing in yourself can be hard when you battle with low self-esteem and self-worth like I do. Every day can be a struggle, but books like this remind me of how important it is to feed my brain with love and positivity to crowd out the negative self-talk.

If you experience negative self-talk I want you to know that it gets better. Taking control of your thoughts, and training them to speak truth and love, will transform your life. It is going to take time, and it won’t be easy. Your future self will thank you if you put in the work. These books are a great place to start. I’ll leave you with one of my favorite quotes, so far, from Marie Forleo in Everything is Figuroutable: “The most powerful words in the universe are the words you say to yourself.”

I’d love to hear your takeaways from these books if you’ve read any of them. If you haven’t read them yet which one are you looking forward to reading and what book would you add to this list? Connect with me over on Instagram or leave a comment.

About the Author

Kelly graduated from Liberty University with a degree in Advertising and Public Relations and a minor in Journalism. Even though it took her a little while to find her career path, she was always meant to be in Communications. She remembers writing poems and songs when she was a little girl and pitching to my parents the reasons why I should have a cell phone when I was a teenager. She currently has a blog (budding-joy.com) where she talks about her weight-loss journey, mental health and personal development. Her hope is to encourage and inspire readers and let them know they are not alone. Reading blog posts like that are what helped her in tough times and she wants to pay it forward. She loves dance fitness, listening to music, and creating layouts in her bullet journal. She's a big fan of planning, especially when cute notebooks and pens are involved. Her dream job has changed so much over the years; right now she'd love to co-own a dance studio.

Website: budding-joy.com