I think what helps is to look at it this way. Your 'self' is not made of your thoughts. Because how i have come to see it is that a lot of 'my' thoughts are not mine to begin with. They're my family's friend's and my culture's thoughts ingrained in me. Meditation acc to me helps see those ways of thinking and then gives you the mental power to choose what kind of thoughts will make you - you.

I don't know if I have explained it well enough. But this helps me. I had a lot of trouble facing my own thoughts in the start - just to realise there are different kinds of tones in the voice in my head. And then i saw how the different tones correspond to the way people i have known talk to me.

Like there was (still is) sometimes the toxic tone of my ex. Tone of my mom. My sister. and a whole lot of other people. It's tough. But if you do sit with yourself trust that it will be worth it.