Envision How Eliminating Negative Self Talk Can Change Everything
Anyone can tell you, it’s easier to sound humble when you self deprecate. If someone compliments you, are you more likely to laugh and say “Well, we ugly people have to have a good personality” than simply smile and say “Thank you”? Maybe you talk yourself out of doing something potentially difficult by putting yourself down, like claiming to be too fat to exercise in the gym. It’s very common to self-deprecate and tell ourselves negative self-talk. Everybody does it in some form or another, but that doesn’t mean it’s good for us. This type of talk is very destructive to our psyche and our self-image, holding us back and putting a damper on our true potential for greatness.
While this type of talk may seem humble or humorous, you are actually setting yourself up to fail. This type of talk is an example of “negative self-talk.” Often, people who regularly engage themselves in using negative self-talk will find that they are degrading themselves, rather than building themselves up. However, there are ways to combat negative self-talk and begin a trend in positive thinking.
Like any road to self-improvement, your first step is to realize what the problem is. After you know and understand the problem, you can begin to recognize why it is harmful. Consider the words that you use, if they seem more negative than positive, then it is time to make a change. Once you understand what you have been doing to your self-esteem you can begin to understand why it is harmful.
Once you’ve come to understand your own behavior, take the initiative! Start to change your attitude from a Negative Nancy to a Positive Percy. When you find yourself engaging in negative self-talk, try and stop that thought and replace it with something more uplifting. When you find yourself thinking you’re too unattractive to land a date, start listing your positive qualities to yourself. Maybe remind yourself how you’re an excellent cook, or hilariously funny. Whatever your strengths, in no time, you’ll find that you have plenty to offer and your own brain will no longer be the enemy, sabotaging your self-esteem.
People often blame themselves first for situations that have gone awry. However, blaming yourself for situations that seem out of your control can do more damage than good. If you find that you’ve been blaming yourself, stop. Then, start looking for solutions to your problem instead. Regardless of the situation, step back and examine why you think it didn’t turn out how you expected it would and what you can do about it for the future. For instance, if you consistently tell yourself that you’re fat, that you have no willpower and will never loose weight, rather than beating yourself up, first examine the circumstances. If you are lining your shelves with cookies, cakes, sodas and the like, the problem is not that you cannot loose weight, the problem is that you’re not even giving yourself a fighting chance. You don’t need willpower when you stock your shelves with healthy and nutrient-rich foods that will assist you in getting to your goal weight. Sometimes it’s less about us, and more about altering our environments for success.
Changing the way you communicate with yourself will take some time. It will take time to practice and use these tactics before you see recognizable changes. However, with commitment and a new, empowered attitude; you will begin to notice a change. After you make these changes you may begin to feel better about yourself and others may notice and reference a change in you as well, which will give you the ammunition you need to continue.
Here are 3 simple steps for eliminating negative self-talk:
1. Recognize negative self-talk
2. Use positive talk, where you would usually employ negative talk
3. Practice patience, as this process takes time and effort.
Negative self-talk can be very damaging to a positive mind set. When you feel like the weight of the world is on your shoulders and you begin to feel the negativity welling up inside, stop and examine your thoughts and actions. Use the tips above to gradually make positive changes. Once these changes are in place, you will notice a more positive you emerging. Stop negative self-talk and change your life now.
It’s to interesting to see how getting rid of your negative self talk can make life so much better. Learn how you can eliminate negative self talk by visiting this negative self talk that will help you change the way you think so that you can get everything you want in your life.
