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Step Away from Self-Doubt with MCT
Learn to let go of negative thoughts and build a stronger sense of self
Finding Your Worth by Changing How You Relate to Your Thoughts
Low self-esteem can really affect how you see yourself and how you interact with the world. It often comes from a constant loop of self-critical thoughts about your worth and abilities. While sometimes you might try to argue with these thoughts, Metacognitive Therapy (MCT) offers a different idea: thoughts are just mental events, not the truth, and you don't have to get caught up in them or give them too much importance. At Lazy Therapy, I believe that by stepping back from negative thoughts, you can free yourself from feeling bad about yourself and develop a more resilient sense of who you are.
Understanding Low Self-Esteem Through MCT
Low self-esteem often involves a never-ending inner voice of self-doubt and criticism. These thoughts can feel overwhelming, making you believe they define you. MCT helps you look at this differently by shifting the focus from what your thoughts are saying to how you're relating to those thoughts.
Instead of fighting or trying to prove these self-critical thoughts wrong, MCT helps you see that they aren't facts – just passing mental events. When you stop giving these thoughts so much importance, they lose their power to affect how you feel about yourself.
How MCT Helps You Feel Better About Yourself
MCT offers practical ways to stop self-critical thoughts from controlling how you feel about yourself. Here's how it works:
Seeing Thoughts as Just Thoughts: The first step in MCT is realising that thoughts are just that: thoughts, not reality. For example, the thought "I'm not good enough" isn't a truth – it's just a thought. This helps you create some distance from negative self-judgments. What really matters isn't the thought itself, but how much attention you give it. By choosing not to engage, the thought loses its power over you. Practicing Stepping Back from Thoughts: Instead of battling negative thoughts, MCT encourages you to observe them with curiosity, as if you're just noticing them. This technique involves acknowledging that a thought is there without letting it define or affect your self-esteem. Whether the thought seems "good" or "bad" doesn't matter as much as choosing not to focus on it or give it importance. Easing Cycles of Worry: Getting caught in cycles of excessive worry and dwelling on negative things often keeps negative self-thoughts alive. MCT teaches you to break free from these cycles by intentionally shifting your focus away from unhelpful thinking patterns. Focusing on What You Do, Not Just What You Think: MCT emphasises taking action even if you still have self-critical thoughts. By engaging in positive behaviours, you can gradually build your confidence and sense of worth. What you do can often have a bigger impact than what you think, and over time, it can help you see yourself in a more positive light. How MCT Can Help Your Self-Esteem:
MCT offers a straightforward way to feel better about yourself: your thoughts don't define you, so you don't have to let them control your life. By learning to step back from negative self-perceptions and focus on your actions, you can create a more positive and resilient sense of self.
Plus, MCT is often quite focused, meaning you can experience meaningful changes in a relatively short amount of time. This can make it a helpful option for anyone wanting to overcome the barriers created by low self-esteem.