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Source: https://writers.stackexchange.com/a/32575
License name: CC BY-SA 3.0
License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

Hmm. This depends on your writing style. It could be useful as an exercise to not use those words, but it could also be done without having to 'tell' this is what your PoV character is thinking.

Examples. (too accustomed to writing 3rd person past, forgive me, but this applies all the same to whatever PoV and tense)

> She stood there, opposite the man she was told would help her. His lips were moving, but no sound seemed to breach the haze she found herself in. Over and over, the scene kept playing out in her mind. Formless silhouettes of nightmares playing out even in her lucid state. A weight landed on her shoulder.
> 
> All she could do was scream. A blood curdling screech erupted from her as she curled up into a ball and covered her ears, unwilling to face that again.
> 
> They'd come for her. It was the only explanation!

If that doesn't do it for you, you could try a character with some sass and a major bad attitude.

> Another was walking up to him. Another! He'd lost track of how many this was, not that he planned on counting from the start.
> 
> "Hi, I'm," he blocked out her name on instinct, "and I'm totally your biggest fan! Can I have your autograph?" He formed the chewing gum between his teeth and lips, blowing a bubble. Hmm, maybe picking up that pack of bubblelicious was a good idea after all? Licking the rubbery and tasteless pastime off his lips, he could only shrug.
> 
> "Yeah, sure. Whatever," he mumbled, taking her pen and pink unicorn notepad, and wrote the first thing that came to mind.
> 
> _To my biggest fan ever. You know I'll always love you, baby._
> 
> Too over the top? Given she was squealing and babbling on about whoever would be 'totally jealous'? No. Not a chance. She'd be in the front row of every movie he ever starred in from now on.
> 
> Remember, no sighing.

Following your rules of leaving those words out. But you can clearly see what's going on in his head. It all depends on how well you get in your PoV character's head. Then no matter the arbitrary rules you play by, you can bring a character to life. Just keep working on it, and keep reading. You never know what you might come up with.

Original score: 1