How often do you intentionally talk to yourself? Does it help? How?
It’s completely normal to talk to ourselves. It’s something we do all the time, whether out loud or just inside our heads.
This may happen when thinking through ideas when debating decisions, when in need of a pep talk, or creating a presence around us that makes us feel better. This can help with loneliness.
The greater benefits are when you speak to yourself out loud when you hear your own voices and your own stories. It forces you to slow down your thoughts and process them differently because you engage the language centers of your brain. You become more deliberate, and this creates a slower process to think, feel and act, instead of being bombarded by your thoughts.
Lastly, hearing your own voices and words can help you better process your emotions.
Below are some simple strategies you can try:
• The next time you feel yourself spiraling out of control, pause, say your name, and speak the truth.
• In your talk to yourself, reframe the narrative and use it to think about your situation in a better and different way.
• The next time you face a stressor, brainstorm about how your favorite superhero character would handle it. Then go be that person and see what happens.
Today, I invite you to narrate a different story as though you are talking about yourself rather than seeing yourself in the action. Start slow but build up a practice of saying your own name and speaking a new truth (what you need to hear). Using your name to talk to yourself can help you see things from a distance and that perspective can help reframe negative self-talk and stop the noise of inner dialogue.
I would love to hear from you.
Wishing you continued success and growth,
Sincerely,
Nora Paxton