Our core beliefs develop over time. We believe them to be true. They influence not only our self-perceptions and our perceptions of others and the world, but also our thoughts, our feelings and our actions.

Negative core beliefs, and the often irrational/inflexible/demanding and self-deprecating automatic thoughts that accompany them, tend to have a conflicting/limiting effect on our lives and on our sense of comfort in the world.

They typically influence the ways in which we interpret/evaluate current things that happen to us, often leading to unhealthy emotional states such as depression, anxiety and shame, as well as to ‘catastrophic’ predictions about our futures.

In turn, in an attempt to cope with the emotional discomfort, specific, often unhealthy, behaviours and habits (smoking, drinking, comfort eating, and so on) can form.

FOR EXAMPLE:

Past experiences have led a person to form the core belief "I'm stupid".

A. Activating event (current): a question is asked in a meeting. This current situation triggers…

B. Negative automatic thoughts:
“If I say something, I’ll make a fool of myself” (an irrational fear, typically based on past experiences).
“I must not make a fool of myself” (demanding).
“It would be awful to make a fool of myself” (awfulising).
“I couldn’t stand it if I made a fool of myself” (intolerant/inflexible).
“I would be less of a person if I made a fool of myself” (self-deprecating).
It is these thoughts that then trigger the…

C. Emotional state: anxiety (unhealthy and unhelpful); created not by the event itself, but by the irrational, demanding, rigid and ‘awfulising’ thoughts triggered by the negative core belief.

Resulting physical sensations: sweating, heart pounding, tension, blushing, shaking, dizziness and so on.

Resulting behaviour: you keep quiet in the meeting (and perhaps look forward to the time when you can comfort yourself with a large glass of something/cigarette/chocolate bar etc.).

... the core belief is perpetuated and further reinforced to constrain future opportunities.

30 PRIMARY NEGATIVE CORE BELIEFS

I’m not good enough I’m guilty

I don’t deserve I have no confidence

I’m a fraud I can’t trust people

Life is a struggle Others before me

I’m stupid I’m a disappointment

I’m not wanted It’s better not to start

Life is unfair I’m not included

There’s never enough It’ll never pass

It’s all my fault The world is a dangerous place

I have very little control over my life I’m unattractive

I don’t function well on my own I’m powerless

I don’t perform well under stress The worse always happens

I feel like an alien I’m a victim

I don’t deserve attention or respect I mess up everything I attempt

Nobody would like me if they really got to know me I can’t

Diminishing the effect of negative core beliefs:

Identify the specific negative core beliefs that you experience (including those not listed overleaf). For each negative core belief think through the following…

1. In what situations do you typically become aware of this core belief? How intensely do you feel it? Are there particular times when you experience it more than others?

2. When did you first become aware of this negative core belief? What was going on in your life at the time?

3. Identify the accompanying inflexible/rigid, awfulising, demanding, self-deprecating thoughts that are typically triggered by this negative core belief together with any coping behaviours/habits that have subsequently formed.

4. What proof do you have that this negative core belief is true? Is there any rational/logical basis to it?

5. What impact does it have on your emotions, your body and behaviour? How does this impact your life? Is it helpful in any way?

6. Could you reach the same conclusion about another person in a similar position? What’s another way of looking at it?

7. Now, identify a true/rational/helpful alternative to this negative core belief and non-demanding (simply stating preferences), non-awfulising, flexible alternatives that are based in reality to each accompanying negative thought.

For example: modify the negative core belief, moving from “I’m stupid” to perhaps one that says, “I may do silly things at times, but I’m not stupid. In fact, there are many things that I do really well.”  “I would prefer not to appear silly to others, but we all make mistakes and get things wrong at times. I’m human.” “I don’t like to make a fool of myself, but if I do something that others regard as silly, it is not the end of the world. I will be able to handle the situation and move on.”

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