Positive Self-Talk: Your Mind Listens
 
Have you ever listened to how you speak to yourself? How is it different from the way you would speak to a peer, a friend, a colleague? If you take the time to tune into your self-talk, you can begin to change your pattern of negative self-promotion and belittlement.
 
So how does this really work? Is there scientific evidence to support the power of positive self-talk? You bet there is. Many credible studies have shown that those who run a stream of negative thoughts tend to be pessimistic; always thinking the glass is half empty. While those who practice positive self-talk tend to be positive thinkers and are grateful that the glass is half full. The therapeutic effects of positive thinking include improved resilience to stress, less depression, and lower incidence of death from cardiovascular disease.
 
By tuning in to your immediate experiences you can interrupt the conversation with yourself and pause. Do you find that you are constantly running negative messages? If so, pause, take a deep breath, and begin to speak to yourself as a wise mentor would speak. Replace “You’re an idiot” with “You can do this.”
 
Give yourself an endearing name when you speak to yourself, a gentle, compassionate label that nurtures your ability to relate to yourself in a more positive way. Use your first name, or nickname, and make a statement that is respectful, compassionate and intelligent.
 
You may be overwhelmed at first, when you discover how you have become entrenched in negative self-talk. But don’t be discouraged from moving forward with changing the pattern. Use your voice as a coach, a teacher, and a wise companion, committed to yourself in your quest for more light.
 
Cheri Huber, author and Buddhist practitioner provides the analogy of moving between a dark and a light room during the course of everyday life. Which room you inhabit depends on your decision. By choosing to stay out of the dark room, which feeds on negativity, you can choose the light room, where positive and productive thoughts dominate. We move forward from constrictive thought and open ourselves to more light and wisdom. As we consciously commit ourselves to spending more time in the light room, we change our patterns and begin to approach life fueled by positive energy, thus spending less time getting stuck in the dark room. Interrupting negative self-talk can be done with mindful attention and practice.