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How to overcome negative self talk
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Positive self-talk is an effective stress reduction tool.
From correcting negative thoughts to coping during difficult times, positive self-talk changes lives.
If you’re struggling with negative thoughts and want to be kinder to yourself, we can help.
But before we review how to have positive self-talk, let’s consider what self-talk means and how to spot negative thinking. We’ll also look at some specific examples of self-talk.
The good of self talk
Let’s take a look at what self talk is and why it’s important.
Self talk is your internal dialogue. It’s the endless stream of unspoken thoughts that run through your head every day. If you’re generally a positive person, your self talk will be more positive.
However, if you’re generally a negative person, your self talk will be more negative. Whether positive or negative, this inner voice reveals your beliefs, thoughts, questions, and ideas.
There’s also some nuance to self talk. You might hear some internal dialogue that’s illogical or doesn’t quite match up with who you are.
Author Brené Brown refers to these voices in her head as her ‘gremlins.’
This is normal and nothing to worry about if you know how to use positive self talk to overcome it.
Positive self talk enhances your well-being and helps you effectively manage stress.
Other possible benefits of positive self talk include:
It’s still unclear exactly why positive self talk supports these health benefits. But one theory suggests that having a positive outlook helps you cope better with stress.
In other words: having positive coping skills reduces the effects of stress on your body.
Another theory is that positive people tend to live healthier lifestyles. They eat healthier, exercise more, and don’t smoke or drink too much alcohol.
Rumination: the flip side of positive self talk
Keeping an eye on your thoughts is crucial for your health and well-being. In this section, we’ll explore the negative side of self talk.
Rumination is the dark side of self talk. It happens when you replay negative thoughts over and over again in your head.
Though it’s helpful to think through problems, spending too much time thinking about them can affect your well-being. It can also bring on mental illnesses such as anxiety or depression.
Here’s an example of rumination:
“I really messed up at work today. Man, did I mess this up. I’ll probably get fired. I can’t do anything right. Why did that happen? No wonder I can’t get a promotion.”
And here’s an example of positive thinking/self talk:
“I messed up at work today, but I learned something from it. I understand where I went wrong, and next time I’ll do a much better job. I’ve got this. I’m sure I can still get that promotion.”
Having constant negative thinking can lead to:
Identifying negative thinking is the first step to improving your self talk. This type of thinking generally falls into these four categories:
When you recognize what types of negative thinking you have, you can use the power of self talk to help you. It doesn’t happen overnight. But with time, practice, and dedication, you can correct your negative self talk.
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In this section, we’ll cover five techniques to overcome negative thinking. We’ll also share some positive and negative self talk examples for each technique.
Here are five ways to overcome negative thinking:
Use the four negative thinking categories to track your daily thoughts.
When you spot a thought that’s magnifying, polarizing, catastrophizing, or personalizing, call it out.
First, mention the offending category. Then, start the next thought with, “I choose to believe…” and follow it up with a positive thought.
For instance:
Isn’t it strange how people can be nicer to their friends than they are to themselves? In some cases, if we spoke to our friends the way we speak to ourselves, we wouldn’t have any friends.
Change the script by focusing on self-love and self-acceptance instead of self-judgment.
For instance:
Thoughts and stress go hand-in-hand.
It’s difficult to think positively when you’re under high stress. And it’s also difficult to manage your stress when you have too many negative thoughts.
That’s why it’s essential to prevent high stress before it starts — in your mind. When you catch yourself thinking about something stressful, immediately shift the focus to how resilient you are.
For instance:
Most experiences have a negative and a positive side if we look closely. You may not enjoy doing laundry, but you love having clean clothes to wear afterward. You may hate getting on planes, but you love exploring a new place once you land.
When you start focusing on the negative side of things, flip your thinking to the positive side.
For instance:
Challenging your thoughts is the best way to see if they are true and logical. A great question to ask when you’re experiencing this is: is there evidence to back up what I’m thinking?
If there’s no logic to support those thoughts, change your point of view.
For instance:
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Here are seven ways to embed positive self talk into your daily life:
Set yourself up for success by practicing positive self talk in the morning.
For instance, start the day with some positive affirmations and mindfulness meditation.
A positive affirmation is a positive and uplifting statement. Some examples are “I’m enough, and I love myself,” and “I believe in myself, I’m strong.”
Make positive self talk part of your everyday routine.
For instance:
Whether you’re at work, in the car, or at home, make sure to regulate your thoughts throughout your day.
Your inner critic is the voice inside you that criticizes anything about you. When your inner critic chimes in, you have a few options: ignore it, interview it, or shift your attention.
The method you choose will depend on the situation. If your inner critic is stopping by for a quick rant, ignore it, affirm yourself, and go about your day.
If your inner critic keeps pestering you, try interviewing it to see if it has something useful to offer.
If all else fails, shift your attention away from yourself. Focusing your attention on others silences your self-criticism. It also increases your compassion for yourself and others.
The language you use when you speak to yourself changes the way you feel. Especially when you’re faced with a challenge.
During a challenging time, try referring to yourself in the third person. Use your preferred personal pronouns such as ‘he,’ and ‘she,’ ‘they’ or your name whenever it makes sense.
Using the third person in self talk can help you think more objectively. This helps your craft better responses and emotions. It can also help reduce stress and anxiety.
For instance, let's say you’re on the side of the road and your car won’t turn on. Instead of saying "I can't believe this is happening," try, “It’s going to be okay Mandy, we’re going to figure this out soon.”
An easy way to remember to improve your self talk is by using automatic reminders. Set your phone or your calendar up to remind you to keep working on your self talk.
You can set simple reminders like, “Don’t forget to track your thoughts today,” and “Be your own best friend.”
You can also set more detailed reminders like, “Keep an eye on polarizing thoughts today.” Or, “Remind yourself to breathe when you’re feeling overwhelmed.”
Check in with your feelings on a regular basis, especially on bad days.
For instance, if you’re noticing one negative event after the other, stop and check your self talk. Is it helpful or negative? Kind, or rude to myself? Then use the tools you learned in the previous section to flip the script.
Staying in the present moment helps you focus on what’s in front of you instead of worrying about the past or future.
To remind yourself to stay present, savor the beauty and life that you see around you.
For instance:
Being aware of how you talk to yourself is essential for your well-being.
Ready to start practicing positive self talk? By choosing to flip the script, you’ll be on your way to correcting your negative thoughts.
Need help improving your self talk? BetterUp offers personalized coaching to help you thrive.
Make meaningful changes and become the best version of yourself. BetterUp's professional Coaches are here to support your personal growth journey.
Make meaningful changes and become the best version of yourself. BetterUp's professional Coaches are here to support your personal growth journey.
Elizabeth Perry is a Coach Community Manager at BetterUp. She uses strategic engagement strategies to cultivate a learning community across a global network of Coaches through in-person and virtual experiences, technology-enabled platforms, and strategic coaching industry partnerships.
With over 3 years of coaching experience and a certification in transformative leadership and life coaching from Sofia University, Elizabeth leverages transpersonal psychology expertise to help coaches and clients gain awareness of their behavioral and thought patterns, discover their purpose and passions, and elevate their potential. She is a lifelong student of psychology, personal growth, and human potential as well as an ICF-certified ACC transpersonal life and leadership Coach.
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