The Value of Positive Self-talk

When people are asked who gees them up during moments of self-doubt, the answer tends to be their mother, father, partner, best friend … but rarely themselves.

We all know how damaging negative self-talk can be, if you continually tell yourself that you can’t do something, you are creating a mountain which you may never manage to climb. In the same way that if you spend time around family members or friends who are negative, you may start taking on their thoughts and attitudes as your own.

Start listening to the thoughts which pass through your mind and what you are telling yourself. By practising positive self-talk we can get through difficult situations so much more easily. If you feel yourself thinking “I am so stressed by this”. Stop. Be kind to yourself and use some positive phrases like “This is a stressful situation but I can handle it, it will pass and I will feel calm”. Or if your mind races out of control over a new situation or piece of news, stop. Tell yourself “I accept that I am a worrier, it’s how I am, but everything works out in the end, and I know I am strong enough to get through this”.

Learning to be your own best friend may help to lower the intensity and frequency of times when your worrying spirals out of control. Not to mention the fact that research has shown positive thinkers enjoy health benefits and an improved lifestyle over their negative counterparts.