Negative self-talk has far-reaching consequences in your life.
We unknowingly become our own worst enemies, robbing ourselves of self-confidence and peace of mind. If left unchecked, our lack of positivity can begin to affect our health, leaving us worried and stressed, unable to relax.
Is it fixable?
This is actually less difficult than you think. It all begins with positive self-talk and the implementation of these six practical steps.
Begin by catching yourself in the act. These first three steps will put a stop to negative self-talk before it can take root:
#1 Make a note of it.
Keeping a journal is an excellent way to organise your thoughts. Before going to bed, try writing down your impressions of the day. This allows you to let go of feelings that might otherwise fester while you’re trying to sleep.
It is always a great way to develop an attitude of gratitude as you gain awareness of things you can be grateful for each day. remember what you focus on expands, so focus on the goodness in your life and you’ll create more of it.
Reading those entries again later will give you a sense of where you are. It’s possible you’ve been more negative lately than you realised.
#2 Simply say “No.”
Your job is to stop negative statements from forming in your head when you catch them. When you notice your self-talk changing to something less than positive, you must stop it immediately. If necessary, say the word “Stop” aloud.
#3 Return with a Snap Back
For years, psychologists have recommended this therapy to stop negative thoughts. You simply wrap a rubber band around your wrist (but not too tightly).
When you have a negative thought, simply snap the rubber band. You’ll eventually find yourself stopping those thoughts automatically in order to avoid the ‘punishment.’
Next, try these three steps to put positive self-talk into practise. Remember knowledge without action is just information, so now we need to put what you have learnt into action
#4 Reduce the volume.
What word(s) in the negative thought can you change to soften it? Perhaps you meant’mistaken‘ instead of’stupid.‘
Instead of’slow,’ consider ‘thoughtful.’
By paying attention to your words, you will naturally begin to shift your self-talk to a more positive tone.
# 5 Change sides
Make it a game. Every time you hear yourself saying something in your head, ask yourself if you can rephrase it into something positive. Decide how many of these thoughts you can alter.
As you begin to practise this, it will become easier and you actually may just even enjoy it!
# 6 Make is a habit to question everything
Instead of listening to negative assumptions, ask questions about them.
“That’s impossible,” for example, can be transformed into “How can I make that possible?”
Questions seek solutions, whereas statements are already conclusive.
You’ll discover that life looks different if you track what you do and act with intention to change the situation. You’re more at ease and can even embrace optimism.
You begin to like yourself a little more. It is here that you begin to realise the potential you have always possessed.
