Protecting Myself From My Own Thoughts


A mindful middle-aged woman with red hair sits peacefully in nature, reflecting quietly—symbolising self-compassion and protection from negative thoughts.
Some days, I wake up and I’m already in battle.

Not with the world.
Not with people.
With my own thoughts.

The ones that tell me I’m not enough.
That I should have done more.
That I’ve messed it all up—again.
That everyone’s watching. Judging. Waiting for me to fail.

It’s exhausting, isn’t it?

To be your own biggest critic.
To carry a war inside your head while trying to smile through the day.
To look calm on the outside while your mind spins stories that feel so real, they make your stomach churn.

I Used to Believe Every Thought

If my mind whispered, You’re a disappointment, I’d nod in agreement.
If it shouted, You’re not worthy of love, I’d retreat, make myself small, apologise for existing.

I thought these thoughts were me. That they defined me.
But I was wrong.

Not every thought deserves my attention.
Not every voice in my head speaks the truth.

Sometimes, my thoughts are just echoes of old wounds—unhealed parts of me that resurface in moments of stress or fatigue. They are memories pretending to be facts. Fears pretending to be prophecies.

And so, I’ve learned—am learning—to protect myself.
Not from the world. But from the storm inside.

What Protecting Myself Looks Like

1. I pause and name it.

When a thought hits hard, I don’t let it sneak in and settle.
I say: “Oh, there’s the shame voice again,” or “That’s anxiety talking.”

Naming it creates distance.
It reminds me: I am not my thought.

2. I challenge it.

Would I speak to a child the way I speak to myself? No.
Would I let someone else speak to me that way? Hell no.

So why do I allow that voice in my head so much power?

I start asking: Is this thought true? Is it kind? Is it helpful?

3. I choose a kinder voice.

I don’t try to be toxically positive. I don’t plaster on affirmations when I feel broken.

But I do try to speak gently to myself:
“You’re doing your best. You’re allowed to rest. You are growing, even if it doesn’t feel like it today.”

4. I move. Breathe. Disconnect.

Sometimes, the best way to get out of my head is to get into my body.
I breathe deeply. I stretch. I touch the ground with my bare feet.

Anything to remind myself that I am here, not trapped in some imagined disaster.

5. I reach out.

My thoughts lie to me in isolation.
But when I share them—with a trusted friend, therapist, or journal—they lose their grip.
I gain perspective.
I realise I’m not alone.

This Work is Ongoing

Some days I win. Some days I don’t.
But every day, I choose to show up and try again.

Because I’ve realised something powerful:

The way I speak to myself matters more than I ever knew.
And I am finally learning to be on my side.


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