It's a good foundation for having the "mind of Christ".
Jesus never put anyone down who was trying to improve himself...
When we think negative thoughts, we begin to grow toxic "trees" (neuropathically) in our brains... these trees kill the brain. However, if we stop our negative thinking and speaking, and change those thoughts to something "pure, good, honorable, honest" etc., then we build strong connections for good and health in our brains. It takes many more good thoughts to destroy those toxic trees than it took for bad thinking to create them
(Read Who Switched Off my Brain by Dr Caroline Leaf).
We have 30 seconds to change a thought from bad to good, before the brain makes it "permanent". We can only think one thought at a time, but often we flit about multi-tasking and the negative toxic thought goes right on unchallenged.
I put a thread in Mental Health Forum 10 Common Cognitive Distortions and what to do about them, which I think would apply here.
Recognizing the negative thinking will help us to focus more on the good, pure, honorable: healthy and spiritual thoughts.
I like to think good things about others, looking for the good in them (we all have negative stuff and no one wants to hear about that)...accenting the good will help them also become better and block the negative.
I look for ways to engage in "sudden acts of kindness" as it helps me focus on the good and true and pure stuff in life too.
Whenever life becomes overwhelming in and of itself, focussing on God and His love and Who He is and how He cares and will take care of me ALWAYS changes my perspective... for truly HE IS all that is good, pure, honorable....