Have you ever realized how much negative self-talk infiltrates your everyday life?
Many people have a running commentary going on as part of their inner life. Unfortunately for a lot of people, that inner commentary takes a negative turn and leads to emotions such as fear and imposter syndrome.
It can also lead to jealousy of those who seem to have it all and appear to succeed at everything they attempt. But there’s something that can help you deal with these negative feelings and increase your confidence. And that is positive self-talk.
Besides the benefits I’ve listed above, another great effect of positive self-talk is that it helps you to manage your stress before your stress manages you.
Many people aren’t natural optimists, but many people who are able to succeed do so because they have a positive outlook, which stems from one simple facet of their personality: they talk that positive self-talk.
Luckily if you’re not someone to which positive self-talk comes naturally, it’s something that can be learned. Read on for four simple steps that you can take to increase your positive self-talk.
Check Your Inner Dialogue
Pay attention! What was the last thing you just said to yourself about yourself? As I said earlier, all of us engage in some form of self-talk and it’s usually fairly constant.
Start paying attention to the words you use when you talk to yourself. I know that I’m being captain obvious, but if you want to increase your positive self-talk, you need to drop the negative. Identify the things that trigger your negative self-talk.
What are some common situations that cause you to engage in negative self-talk?
What negative words and phrases do you use most often?
What positive words can you substitute?
Think about what you’d rather say to yourself. It can also be helpful to try this exercise. If a good friend or loved one said to themselves the things that you’re saying to yourself, what would you say to them about the harm they’re causing to themselves? That is what you should be saying to yourself instead.
Make Things Fun
It’s really hard to stay in a negative state when you’re laughing. Look for the silver lining or humor in the situation and that can help you change your attitude. As your outlook shifts, you find yourself feeling more positive. This helps shift your self-talk as well.
Explore Optimism
Optimism is the key to positive self-talk. The next time you’re confronted by a new situation, pay attention to how you react. Then make a conscious effort to see the bright side of the situation. Assume the best-case scenario. This optimism will carry into your self-talk. It helps you to start assuming the best about yourself as well.
Stay Strong And Persist
As you know, practice makes perfect. It’s gonna take longer than overnight to change your self-talk. If you catch yourself thinking something negative, instead of falling into a spiral of blame, take it easy on yourself, remember the previous steps from this post and remind yourself of something positive.
Affirmations
Another way of helping yourself increase your positive self-talk is by using affirmations. Affirmations are not only positive sayings, they’re also powerful tools in the war against negative self-talk. Going back to tip one where you thought of positive things to say to yourself, write down your favorites. Then post the affirmations someplace where you can see them frequently.
So there you have it, 5 ways to introduce more positive self-talk into your life. Positive self-talk becomes a habit through daily practice. Keep it up and eventually you’ll find it easier to talk that positive self-talk. It’s all about making time.
Let’s talk, what is your favorite positive phrase to say to yourself? Let me know in the comments section.
Smiley face photo by Devin Avery on Unsplash
Cassandra Martin-Himmons is a trainer, wellness coach and consultant who believes in empowering her clients and providing the tools that they need to make positive changes in their lives to manage their stress and increase their self-care. In her spare time, she enjoys papercrafting, volunteering and travel. Connect with her on Instagram or LinkedIn