Good thoughts can easily house deep denial and/or clever blind spots.  Who would ever think that I would hide out there?  An example, “If I continue to do these good things for other people then they will not think what I think about myself, that is, that I am not good enough, ever.”  This type of thinking/hiding is often found in the domain of good thoughts.  The advantage of ‘thinking”  good thoughts is that they displace other less desirable thoughts, and that is good.  Except we are still stuck believing we are our thoughts.  Problem is we cannot just jump out and declare ourselves done.  The silent mantra to self technique is good for corralling the mind/thought spiral, especially downward spiral.  It is habit/practice-based and can be quite a lever for wedging out those knotty patterns.   I would choose mantra over thought replacement because you never really, firmly get past the thoughts.  With mantra repetition you can get a little perspective and get peeks of the mind from the witness state.  Use a word (or words) that is absolutely revolutionary for your heart .  Do not be changing the mantra, again and again.  “Love self, love all” can be a mantra.  “See the tiger”, Be The Moment, “I love you”, anything that works for you (not me).  IT is your path, you choose.  I would add to “See”  as much as effortlessly possible when doing this technique.  “Seeing” never stops.  Daddy’O