Self-Talk In The New Year

Author: Hannah Hall, Challenge America Program Coordinator

Do you have one of those little voices in your head that helps you make decisions? Or maybe encourage you?

Or discourages you?

These inner thoughts can help you through your everyday life, but they can also drag you down and contribute to poor mental health.

By working on your inner thoughts and what that inner voice says, you can promote a better outlook on your life, yourself and boost your self esteem.

Research shows that positive self talk can be beneficial- if done correctly. The benefits of positive self-talk include improving self-image, stress management and wellbeing, reducing symptoms of depression, anxiety and personality disorders, improving body image, reducing risk of self harm and suicide, help with chronic pain, help you feel more control in life, help to calm you and help to motivate.

So how does one “self-talk” correctly?

-Practice thinking positive thoughts about yourself and your life. 

-Focus on your strengths

-Think, act and look in a positive way 

-Focus on decreasing negative self talk

How to help decrease negative self talk:

-Pay close attention to your thoughts and detect any negativity as soon as it arises

-Challenge the self-talk

-Replace negative thoughts with positive thinking