Normally when we think of self-talk the word "crazy" also comes to mind. We imagine crazy people chattering away to themselves about nothing in particular.
However talking to yourself, can actually be hugely beneficial in many areas of your life.
That's because what self-talk actually is is the practice of speaking to yourself internally or out loud about your actions and thoughts.
Many of us practice negative self-talk, running internal dialogues about what we should have said or done.
But what if we could change that inner dialogue and start sending ourselves positive, encouraging messages?
When you practice positive self-talk, you can actually cultivate success in many different areas of your life and learn to put yourself first. Let's dive into how to practice positive self-talk for success.
Eliminate Negativity from Your Life
Many of us have naysayers and Negative Nancys in our circle of friends. They're the people who bring us down, even when we're feeling good about ourselves.
One of the fastest ways of practicing positive self-talk is to create distance between yourself and the negative people in your life.
The more time you spend around people with a negative attitude, the more likely you are to develop that same narrative in your own life.
Rather than putting your time and energy into people who ultimately bring you down, try spending more time with people who motivate, encourage, and uplift you.
By spending less time with negative people and more time with those who bring positive energy to your life, you can start subconsciously changing the way you think.
Start a Gratitude Journal
With all the stress of our daily lives, it can be easy to lose sight of the things that we're thankful for.
Studies have been conducted showing that people who practice gratitude are happier, have better relationships, are more motivated, and show increased determination.
And that's just a few of the benefits!
By practicing gratitude, you stop focusing on the negative events, people, and emotions in your life and instead start focusing on the things that make you happy.
This can help you to change your internal dialogue and to start practicing positivity instead of negativity in your self-talk.
Try starting a gratitude journal and taking 5-10 minutes a day to look at what you're thankful for you in your life. By journaling, you can give yourself a quiet space to start focusing on the positive!
Stop Comparing Yourself to Others and Put Yourself First
Another critical part of putting a stop to negative self-talk and changing your narrative is to stop comparing yourself to those around you.
It can be easy to look at those around you and to want the things that they have.
However, when you instead focus on the positive people, things, relationships, and events that you have in your own life you can start speaking to yourself more kindly.
Focus on being grateful for what you have and on reminding yourself that you are valuable in your own way.
And, remember that when you compare yourself to others you don't see the whole picture. That person might be comparing themselves to you on the inside!
We all deal with our own struggles and when we spend too much time focusing on others' value and not our own, we can lose sight of our own success.
Embrace Failure
Many of us are afraid of failure. We fear that we don't have the skills or the talent needed to succeed.
However, when we stop fearing failure and start believing that we are enough, we actually give ourselves the strength that we need to push through.
That's because half the battle we face is rooted in the way we feel. Typically, the mind wants to give up long before our body does.
For example, if you don your activewear leggings and head to a yoga class already thinking you won't be able to do the poses, chances are you'll be correct!
When we allow those negative thoughts such as the fear of failure to creep in and make us doubt ourselves, we're already allowing ourselves to fail.
Instead, practice positive self-talk where you encourage yourself to succeed and where failure simply isn't an option.
In doing so you set yourself up for success and give yourself all the tools that you need in order to accomplish your goals.
Practice Positive Affirmations
Positive affirmations are a great way of reminding yourself of your self-worth and of speaking to yourself positively.
Affirmations are "I am" or "I can" sentences in which you speak to yourself and allow yourself to reaffirm who you are as a person.
A few examples include:
- I am smart.
- I am capable of what I set my mind to.
- I choose to be happy today.
- I am proud of my accomplishments
There are many other positive affirmations, and these can be anything that you wish to realize in yourself.
One way of practicing affirmations is to stand in front of the mirror, look yourself in the eyes, and speak these affirmations aloud to yourself.
Or, you can write these on sticky notes and post them around the home so that you're reminded of your self-worth throughout the day.
Either way, taking the time to speak kindly to yourself and remind yourself of your value can help change your inner dialogue to more positive self-talk.
Focus on the Future
It's common for us to think about our past mistakes, hurts, and negative experiences.
However, when we do so we allow ourselves to focus on negativity instead of looking towards the future and how we can better ourselves.
Rather than dwelling on the past and thinking about your mistakes, try visualizing a future.
Speak to yourself about how your past has made you stronger and has equipped you with the skills and tools you need to be successful moving forward.
Use Journaling as a Tool for Positive Self-Talk
One great way to start making positive self-talk a part of your daily life is through journaling.
Journaling helps you put your thoughts on paper and start solidifying the narrative that you write for yourself.
Check out our journaling power resources and learn to put yourself first through positive self-talk. We're here to help you speak to yourself more kindly and to set yourself up for positive success.
Author bio:
Emily Walker is a San Francisco-based freelance writer with 10 years of experience. She enjoys writing about health, fitness, and lifestyle topics.
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