The Power Of Positive Self Talk
Your mind is powerful. So much so that the things you think can actually shape your life. Given how powerful your thoughts are, it’s unfortunate how easy it is to get trapped in a cycle of negative self talk.
Negative Self Talk
All of us do it occasionally, but when it becomes a habit, negative thinking can manifest in your life in very real ways. It can lead to a lack of motivation and increased symptoms of depression, and anxiety.
Negative self talk can take many forms. Some of these include magnifying, when you get majorly upset over minor inconveniences; personalizing, when you tell yourself that everything is your fault; or even using “should” statements like “I should work out or I’ll be a failure.”
Luckily, positive thinking can impact your life and your outlook just as much as the negative- sometimes it just takes a little practice to get into the habit.
The Power of Positivity
People have been researching positive self talk for more than a century (the 1800s to be exact) and much of that research has to do with sports performance.
These studies showed us that positive instructional or motivational self talk can actually enhance players’ performance on the field or court. What’s even more interesting is that the research suggests that these effects are enhanced when you use second or third person pronouns instead of “I” or “me” (i.e. “She is so strong,” or “Jane is a fast runner.”)
But the benefits don’t stop there! According to modern research, postive self talk and optimism is correlated with:
Increased life span
Lower rates of depression
Lower levels of distress
Better psychological and physical well-being
Better cardiovascular health
Better coping skills
Breaking the Cycle
So how do you break the habit of negative thinking and get all of the amazing benefits of thinking positive? Well, practice makes perfect.
Start practicing intentional positive self talk throughout your daily routine. One way to do this is to begin keeping a journal where you write down your wins as well as positive affirmations about yourself. Visualize your goals and write them down as if they have already happened and you are reflecting on your hard work and achievements.
Try to incorporate affirmations throughout the rest of your day too. Look into the mirror while you brush your teeth and name the things you like about yourself or your body.
Before a stressful event or challenge, for example an important presentation, walk through the event step by step in your head with everything going perfectly.
Finally, replace, “I should work out today,” with, “I love how strong I feel after my morning run,” or whatever fits your routine. When you reach a challenging part of your workout, remind yourself how strong you are with an “I can do it,” or “I am strong.”
I hope you can incorporate some of these practices into your life and stop the cycle of negativity. Doing so will greatly enhance your life, your physical health, and mental wellbeing.
