Negative self-talk is something I have struggled with for years but it’s something I’m constantly trying to get better about. I have my seasons of highs and lows, just like you probably do. Today I want to focus on ways that you (and I) can make positive self-talk more of a habit in life. Let’s talk about choosing positive self-talk rather than fighting off negative self-talk. Ya feel? 🙂
I have said it before and I’ll say it again…
The way you talk to yourself creates your reality.
Positive self-talk isn’t always a natural thing to do, and oftentimes, it’s really difficult to do. Showing yourself grace isn’t always easy. Cheering yourself on isn’t always easy. It’s all a choice.
Choosing to be positive when you could easily be negative is really powerful, especially when it comes to yourself. Choosing positive self-talk is a journey full of growth and truth. Let’s take a look at 7 tips to practice positive self-talk.
7 TIPS TO PRACTICE POSITIVE SELF-TALK
1. Take A Deep Breath – The second you start to feel yourself welling up with all kinds of sour emotions, just take a deep breath to begin to clear your mind. It’s always amazed me how much breathing properly in times of anxiety, chaos, or overwhelm can help to recenter me. So, take some deep breaths. Let yourself breathe.
2. Recognize Your Initial Thoughts – I could be the odd one out here, but I think it’s important to recognize your initial thoughts, even if they are negative. If you don’t know what your first thoughts are, how are you going to reframe them to be kind? The key here is to not dwell on those initial thoughts. Acknowledge them and let them go.
3. Reach For A Better Feeling – It’s not easy to pluck yourself out of negativity. Trust me, I know. I have always struggled with being a pessimist when it comes to myself. I know that choosing to reach for a better feeling and following through with that reach is HARD. But, my friend, it is POSSIBLE.
It’s easy to hold onto negative thoughts. It’s comfortable there. But in order to grow in positive self-talk, you have to be willing to get uncomfortable. Reaching for a better feeling and positive thoughts can be uncomfortable when you haven’t practiced positive self-talk.
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4. Focus On The Good In Yourself – Dig in and focus on the good in yourself. The truth is, while we’re not perfect and we’ll make mistakes along the way, there is still so much good in each of us. There’s good in you. Find it and focus on those good things to pull yourself out of any negative thoughts you’re experiencing.
5. Remember That You Are Uniquely You – You were made to be uniquely you. Embrace that! Embrace the beauty of your quirks. Embrace the uniqueness that is only you. When you encourage yourself in the truth that you are one of a kind and that is special, you’ll find yourself much more uplifted.
6. Speak Self-Affirmations Out Loud – I know that it can seem cheesy to actually speak self-affirmations out loud. Once you break past the cheesiness, I promise that reciting positive affirmations about yourself will help you immensely. Repetition. Repetition.
7. Be Real About It – For the longest time, I used to think that focusing on positive self-talk meant that you’d shove your real feelings away and not address them. Choosing positive self-talk almost felt forced and inauthentic to me some days. That’s NOT the case, though! Choosing positive self-talk doesn’t have to be an over-the-top thing. Have a heart-to-heart with yourself about where you’re truly at. Meet yourself there. Start there.
It’s huge to recognize your initial thoughts and to acknowledge that it’s a choice to confront them head-on. Be honest with yourself and work on developing affirmations that fit organically into the journey you’re on.
For example, I have a really hard time loving my postpartum body some days. Instead of forcing myself to exclaim “I love my postpartum body!” I’ll encourage myself another way and choose to say something like “I’m working on loving my postpartum body day by day.”
[bctt tweet=”Have a heart-to-heart with yourself about where you’re truly at. Meet yourself there. Start there.” username=”SummerTelban”]
We are all stumbling over our feet and trudging along together. Let’s cheer each other on and keep our hearts encouraged. Be kind and gentle to yourself. You are better than you think.
XO,
