What Is Positive Self-Talk?
Positive self-talk is the internal narrative or inner conversation in a positive way.
We all do some kind of self-talk to boost our confidence in stressful situations and to be hopeful. We may not have spent much time paying attention to it. The fact is, this kind of positive self-talk can have a bigger influence on ourselves, and the surrounding world as well.
People who do negative self-talk often fail to succeed in their efforts and find it difficult to cope with their stress. So, let us learn how to do this positive self-talk in an effective way.
Steps to Do Positive Self-Talk
1. Identify Your Negative Self-Talk
The first step is to notice your self-critical or defeating thoughts, especially in moments of stress or self-doubt.
2. Challenge Your Negative Thoughts
The next step is to challenge the validity of those negative thoughts that weaken your self-confidence.
3. Reframe with Positive Affirmations
The final step is to replace self-defeating statements with empowering positive thoughts.
There may be many situations in our lives when we automatically get negative thoughts. But we can change them into positive ones by identifying, challenging and reframing. It will be easy to understand these steps if we go through a few examples of positive self-talk in hypothetical situations.
Examples of Positive Self-Talk:
Following are a few examples of reframing our inner negative thoughts with positive self-talk.
1. “I am a failure; my friends are doing better than me.”
Talk positively to yourself saying –
“I am doing the best I can; let me learn from them, I admire their success.”
2. “I hate my body appearance, the way I look.”
Try to think positively like this –
“My appearance doesn’t define my worth. I am healthy and strong. My thoughts and actions define who I am.”
3. “I shouldn’t have committed this mistake; I am unworthy to live.”
Instead, try to tell yourself positively –
“The past is dead; it cannot be changed. But I will definitely do well in the future by not repeating this mistake, we all learn from our mistakes.”
Benefits of Positive Self-Talk:
Positive self-talk is one of the most valuable tools to keep ourselves emotionally balanced. Many sportspersons and stage performers use it whenever they practice or perform. It can be used in any place and any situation. It can help us reduce our anxiety and depression. It helps us soothe our pain and agony. It is an effective method to improve our self-esteem.
The simpler, the better. Just the simple sentence “I’m okay.” will make us feel good.
Dr. Kurinji G R
Consultant Behavioral Science,
Kauvery Hospital, Chennai
