17 Sep 5 Tips to Improve Your Self-Talk
It’s sometimes referred to as a sign of insanity but it’s most definitely not!
Rather, talking to oneself can be healthy and positive; as long as it’s done in a helpful way.
The fact is, we all engage in self-talk so you might as well make it as constructive as possible. And here’s how …
via Psych Central
Right now, you are probably getting an earful from your inner voice. You know, that little commentator in your head that is always chattering?
It can either sound like the leader of the pep squad, bolstering your confidence, whispering instructions, and boosting performance; or the nagging mother-in-law sabotaging your success with negative comments and cutting criticism.
Dozens of studies including recent experiments by Antonis Hatzigeorgiadis, from the University of Thessaly, indicate that these inner monologues influence our behavior in both positive and negative ways. Here are five ways to alter your self-talk script and to use your inner voices to help make good on your goals, gain confidence, and perform better.
1. Listen Critically to Your Inner Critic
In high-pressure situations self-talk is often relentless and critical, says Ethan Kross, PhD, the laboratory director of the Emotion & Self-Control Lab at the University of Michigan. Instead of thinking deliberately and logically, our inner voices are stoked by emotion, and that influences everything from how we talk to ourselves to our behaviors and beliefs, attitudes, and habits.
So your first step is to listen critically to what you are saying to yourself — and how you are saying it. When your inner voices start running amok with words of disdain and discouragement, pause the conversation as you consider ways to change it.
2. Create Psychological Distance from Yourself
Using first-person phrasing, such as “Why am I so stressed?” or “How can I do better?” may increase feelings of shame or anxiety.ADVERTISING
Instead, Kross suggests using your own name or a second- or third-person pronoun when referring to your situation. Asking yourself, “Why are you feeling so stressed?” is one way to create the psychological distance you need to regulate emotion and be able to lessen your discomfort rather than add to it.
As Kross explains, “People who use their own name or ‘you’ begin to think of the task more as an interesting challenge rather than as a threat.”
… keep reading the full & original article HERE