What is Positive Self-talk?
Self-talk dialogue is your internal dialogue about what you have with yourself. It is influenced by your subconscious mind and reveals your thoughts, beliefs, questions, and ideas. Positive self-talk can be one of the most powerful tools for better mental and physical health.
Self-talk can be both negative and positive. It can be encouraging and on the other hand, it can be distressing. Much of your internal dialogue depends on your personality. If you are optimistic, your internal dialogue can be more hopeful and positive. The opposite is generally true if you tend to be pessimistic.
Watch what you tell yourself, you’re likely to believe it. Russ Kyle
Positive thinking and optimism can be used as effective stress management tools. In fact, having a more positive outlook on life can provide you with some fruitful health benefits. For example, according to a 2010 study, optimists have a better quality of life.
If you think your self-talk is too negative, or you want to emphasize positive self-talk, you can learn to change that self-talk. It can help you be a more positive person and it can improve your health.
Why practice self-talk?
Let’s discuss the four reasons to practice self-talk. Looking in the mirror and starting an internal dialogue has some good benefits for your health and personality, do you know what they are?
Popular with kids and forgotten by adults; do you know what we’re talking about? The possibilities of finding an answer are endless, but we’ll give you a hint: it’s about imagining. Yes, internal dialogue usually requires some creativity and zero grief.
In addition, this act has other benefits for our minds. In general, experts say that this dialogue is healthy for both children and adults. Talking to yourself is often most productive when thought and action are combined.
In society, this practice can be perceived as eccentric because we have been taught that people with mental problems are the ones who tend to speak in a whisper. It is true that some diseases can be expressed through internal dialogue. But let’s face it: it is time to leave prejudices behind, and if this activity allows you to find a better state of being, why not give it a try?
In this sense, Dr. Paloma Mari-Beffa, professor of psychology at Bangor University, explains the effects of talking to yourself. First of all, speaking out loud can be translated as an extension of the internal conversation. In addition, it can provide a disposition to mental stimuli, and this occurs from infancy to adulthood. Here’s How to eliminate negative thoughts from your life?
Benefits of internal dialogue:
Stimulate success:
The power of self-confidence at its finest, raising self-esteem works even when the stimulus is coming from yourself, so boost your confidence through this dialogue. According to a study carried out with 72 tennis players, those who practiced internal dialogue had greater confidence and better results in their game.
But this not only works to improve our actions but also our self-perception. If we talk negatively about ourselves all the time, this will most likely lead to a negative result. So, talk amazing about yourself!
How you think and speak about yourself (to yourself and others) is a choice! You may have spent your whole life negatively talking about yourself, but that doesn’t mean you have to continue that path. Miya Yamanouchi
Self-talk allows greater self-control:
One way to prevent negative words or actions from coming out is by speaking them internally. In this sense, an investigation from the University of Toronto points out that talking to yourself is a way to achieve emotional self-control.
Loving or hating the life you are living is solely all in your repeated self-talk. Edward Mbiaka
Somehow we give each other messages all the time and we intend to regulate those thoughts before carrying them out. If you think that your inner voice does not exist, before saying or doing something take a few minutes to see how your inner self responds.
Benefits of internal dialogue from a Psychology point of view:
Increase cognitive performance:
If you think better, your brain works better. According to a study, when measuring the concentration and performance of some people who read aloud and others who read some instructions silently, it was found that reading aloud produced better results.
In a nutshell:
The stereotype of the mad scientist talking to himself, lost in his own inner world, could reflect the reality of a genius who uses all the means at his disposal to increase his intellectual capacity.
Strengthens memory:
The best recommendation that the experts have for you is that if you are looking to remember something, all you have to do is read it or say it out loud. According to a study, a useful way to retain written information is by reading aloud. “This study confirms that learning and memory benefit from active participation,” says Colin M. MacLeod, a co-author of this research.
Here’s How to improve your memory?
How does it work?
Before going to practice more self-talk, you need to identify what negative thinking holds you back in life. This type of self-talk generally falls into 4 different categories:
- Customizing: You blame yourself for everything.
- Increasing: You ignore each and every positive aspect of a situation and focus on the negative.
- Catastrophizing: It is when you expect the worst will happen, and you rarely let logic or reason convince you otherwise.
- Polarizing: In this type of scenario you only see the world in black and white, or good and bad. There is nothing in between and there is no middle ground to process and classify life events.
When you begin to recognize your negative thinking types, you can work to turn them into positive thoughts. This task takes practice and time and does not happen overnight. But the good news is that it can be done. A 2012 study about self-talk shows that even young children can learn to correct negative self-talk.
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What are some examples of Positive and Negative self-talk?
Let’s show you some examples of how you can turn negative self-talk into positive self-talk. But again, remember that it takes practice. Recognizing some of your own negative conversations in these scenarios can help you develop skills to turn your mind around when it occurs.
Negative: I will disappoint everyone if I change my mind.
Positive: I easily can change my mind. Others will understand.
Negative: I failed and embarrassed myself.
Positive: I’m proud of myself for even trying. That took courage.
Negative: I am overweight and out of shape. It might as well not bother me.
Positive: I am capable and strong, and I want to be healthier myself.
Negative: I disappointed everyone on my team when I didn’t score.
Positive: Sport is a team event. We win and we lose together.
Negative: there is simply no way this will work.
Positive: I can and will give everything to make it work.
How do I use this daily?
Positive self-talk takes practice, effort and consistency if it’s not your character. If you are generally more pessimistic, you can learn to change your self-talk to be more positive and encouraging.
However, developing a new habit takes time and effort. Over time, your thoughts can change. Positive self-talk can become your norm. However, here are the tips that can help:
Identify negative thinking: Many different situations can increase your doubts and lead to more negative self-talk. Work events, for example, can be particularly difficult. Noting when you experience the most negative self-talk can help you anticipate and prepare.
Control your feelings: Stop during bad days or events and evaluate your self-talk. Is it turning negative? How can you turn it around?
Find the humor: Hilarity is one of the best tools to relieve stress and tension. When you need a boost for positive conversation, find ways to laugh, like watching funny animal videos or being a comedian.
Surround yourself with positive people: Society has a greater impact on a person’s mindset. Whether you notice it or not, you can absorb the perspective and emotions of the people around you. This could be positive and negative, so choose the company of positive people where possible.
Give yourself positive reminders: Sometimes seeing positive words or inspiring images can be enough to redirect your thoughts. Post small in your office, at home, and anywhere you spend a significant amount of time.
Why is it good for you?
Self-talk can improve your performance and general well-being. For example, research shows that self-talk can help athletes with performance. You can help them with stamina or power through a set of heavyweights.
Additionally, positive self-talk and a more optimistic outlook can have other health benefits, including:
- Increased vitality
- Greater satisfaction with life
- Improved immune function
- Reduced pain
- Better cardiovascular health
- Better physical well-being
- Reduced risk of death
- Less stress and anguish
It’s unclear why optimists and people with more positive self-talk experience these benefits. However, research suggests that people with positive self-talk may have mental skills that allow them to solve problems, think differently, and be more efficient in dealing with difficulties or challenges. Moreover, positive self-talk can reduce the destructive effects of stress and anxiety.
When should I seek support to practice self-talk?
Positive self-talk can help you improve your personality and also your perspective on life. It can also have positive health benefits, including better well-being and a better quality of life. However, self-talk is a habit created throughout life.
If you tend to have negative self-talk and are wrong on the side of pessimism, you can learn to change it. It takes time and practice, but you can develop positive and stimulating self-talk with mindfulness.
Note: If you find that you are not successful on your own, talk to a therapist. Mental health experts can help you identify sources of negative self-talk and learn how to flip the switch. You can take advice from a healthcare provider, or ask a friend or family member for a better suggestion.
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