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Hope Author

Hope Timberlake

Speak up to become an influential leader & drive performance | Keynote Speaker, Advisor and Author | Trusted by leaders and teams at companies including BlackRock, Gap, Salesforce, Tripadvisor

Escape the Negativity Spiral

Picture this: You’ve spent weeks preparing for a big presentation. You walk out of the room, and instead of feeling accomplished, your mind zeroes in on every tiny mistake. Sound familiar?

It’s human nature to dwell on what went wrong. Think about feedback—how often do we fixate on the one critical comment while brushing past the praise? This is negativity bias at work, creeping into both our personal and professional lives.

Next time your inner critic takes over, shift your perspective with these four powerful questions:

✨What do I have today that I once only dreamed of?
💡 What can I do now that used to feel impossible?
📚 What do I know now that I didn’t before?
🚪 What opportunities am I saying no to now that I would’ve jumped at in the past?

We are often our own toughest critics, but what if we spoke to ourselves with the same kindness we offer a close friend or trusted colleague? You’ve grown, learned, and achieved more than you give yourself credit for. Take a moment to acknowledge that—and celebrate it.


 

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