Taking Notice

Understand the focus on the negatives

• What negative things do you think about yourself?
• When did you start thinking these things?
• What happened to make you think this way?

Challenge your negative feelings

Ask yourself: Is there another way of looking at things? What advice would you give to a friend who was having similar negative feelings? Remind yourself of things that have happened which prove that these negative thoughts aren’t true. Maybe the thing that caused those feelings has stopped.

Try writing down a list of these things to keep and bring out next time you feel low.

Focus on the positives

Write down your best feature, the last time you received a compliment, the last time you did something for someone that made you feel good. These might seem like small things, but it is important to recognise all the good things about you, and the reasons why people appreciate you for being who you are.

Find the right people

How do the people around you make you feel?

Spend more time with the ones who make you feel good, and less with the ones who don't make you feel confident about yourself, or spend a lot of time criticising others.

Get active

Think about doing something you enjoy – or trying something new. If you already have a hobby, do it more often. But remember, you don’t have to keep plugging away at a hobby you don’t enjoy, just because you think you have to.

Set yourself some goals

Choose something you know you can already do and challenge yourself - but keep your goals realistic. Achievements can give you a positive feeling and remind you just how much you are capable of.

Tell someone

If you’re really struggling with negative feelings about yourself, talk to someone you trust, like a family member, teacher or school nurse. You can also talk to your GP who will be able to tell you what sort of support might be available to you in your area.