How Changing Your Thoughts Can Change Your Life

Anxiety and low confidence often show up in the way we talk to ourselves. The thoughts sound convincing:
“I’ll never be able to do this.”
“I’m not good enough.”
“Why even try?”

I know this because I’ve lived it, not just as a therapist, but in my own personal journey.

The Half Marathon I Hated

A few years ago, I decided to run a half marathon. Not only that, I set a goal to finish in under two hours. I had a friend coaching me, a strict running schedule, and all the structure I thought I needed.

The problem? I hated it. I hated running. I hated waking up early. I hated how sore my body felt. But I pushed myself anyway.

Then, three weeks before the race, I fractured my foot. I was put in a boot. Most people would have stopped training at that point, but not me, I kept going, hobbling through workouts because I didn’t want to quit on my goal.

Race Day

The morning of the race, I told myself I could do it. At first, things went smoothly. By mile six, I was focused, in the zone, and even pain-free.

And then—out of nowhere—it felt like a knife stabbed my foot. I froze. My friend stopped too, but I told her to keep running. She had her own under-two-hour goal to chase.

That’s when the thoughts hit me hard:

• “I should just quit.”

• “I’ll never finish.”

• “This is going to take forever.”

• “I’m such a failure.”

Those thoughts felt real. Heavy. Convincing.

But then something shifted. I caught myself. I thought, “No. Brooke, you set this goal. You can do this.”

I challenged the negative voice in my head. I took a breath, started running again, and unbelievably, the pain faded.

I caught up with my friend. I finished in under two hours.

(To be clear: I couldn’t walk afterward, and I would not recommend running through an injury. But what I learned from that moment changed me forever.)

The Lesson

What I discovered that day is something I carry into my work as a therapist: your thoughts have power.

When I believed the thoughts telling me I couldn’t, I felt stuck, weak, and ready to quit. When I chose to reframe my thinking, my entire experience changed.

You don’t need to run a half marathon to practice this. The same skills apply when you’re battling anxiety, self-doubt, or low confidence in everyday life.

5 Tips to Challenge Anxiety and Build Confidence

Here are simple ways to start shifting your thoughts when anxiety takes over:

1. Catch the thought.
   Notice when your mind is saying things like “I can’t” or “I’m going to fail.” Awareness is step one.

2. Question it.
   Ask: “Is this really true? What evidence do I have?” Most anxious thoughts don’t stand up to the facts.

3. Reframe it.
   Shift it to something more balanced. Example: instead of “I’ll never get this right,” try “I’m learning, and progress takes time.”

4. Take action.
   Confidence builds through action, not just thinking. Do the small thing your anxiety says you can’t—you’ll prove to yourself that you’re capable.

5. Be kind to yourself.
   Talk to yourself the way you would encourage a close friend. Growth happens faster when kindness replaces self-criticism.

That half marathon taught me more than just how to run—it showed me how to change the way I think. And that’s what I want for you too. Because once you learn to challenge those anxious thoughts, you’ll discover just how strong and capable you really are.

✨ If you’re ready to shift your thinking, quiet the anxiety, and build real confidence, I’d love to help. Click below to learn more about working with me and take the first step toward your own breakthrough.