Turn the Voice in Your Head into Your Personal Ally
How to take control of your own Self-Talk
We hardly pay attention to it. But it’s going on all the time.
In fact, you’re doing it right now.
What am I talking about?
You’re reading this article. You may be listening to music or occasionally glancing out the window or across the room. There are lots of things going on around you, and you’re taking some or all of it in.
And accompanying your visual meanderings is the voice in your head — continually describing, questioning, even chastising you in it’s own special way.
Our verbal companion is ever at our side, chattering away even as we attempt to squelch the noise. While our persistent partner can often be a comfort — supportive and encouraging when we’re uncertain — it can also lead us in other directions that keep us from reaching our goals.
Here’s the good news: By acknowledging we have a verbal tool at our disposal, we can choose to hone a few skills to use self-talk as a personal ally — one we can count on no matter what lands in our lap.
Here’s a short excerpt from a story in Real Life that offers a few suggestions on how to manage your inner voice.
Self-Talk: Turn the Conversation in Your Head into Your Personal Cheerleader!
We do it every day, all day long — self-talk, that private conversation we have with ourselves. It’s going on in our heads around the clock. And occasionally, when our inner voice is determined to be heard, we actually say what we’re thinking out loud.
Sometimes the chat we have with ourselves takes on the form of a rehearsal. Other times, we’re busy processing, reviewing what we said versus what we were thinking, or wishing we’d said:
“No, sorry, I’m not available. You’ll have to find someone else.” That’s what I should have said. I have to stop being such a pushover . . .
“The next time she’s late, I’m going to remind her it’s becoming a habit. It’s really creating a problem.”
The internal conversations in our minds are an inherent part of the way we communicate, helping us to better understand our life and those we share it with. At times, it’s a kind of guiding voice, attempting to translate the not-so-obvious and often subtle differences between the world as it exists, and the way we personally perceive it.
So how much control do we have over our own self-talk? With a little practice, we can motivate ourselves to take positive actions while strengthening our resolve to avoid choices that can result in negative outcomes.
Sound like hocus-pocus mind control or psychological mumbo-jumbo? It isn’t. In fact, that little inner voice can become your strongest ally in helping you lose weight, eat healthier, get in shape, and a list of other desirable goals you want to achieve in your life.
Thanks for reading this excerpt from Real Life. For those of you who like to watch video, you can check out the Book Trailer — right here.
In health & happiness,
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Jill Reid is the author of Real Life, Discover Your Personal Truth, Life in Small Doses, and Please God, Make Me A Writer. Her books, videos, and newsletter explore life, relationships, self-improvement, health, and personal success strategies for working through the challenges of everyday life.
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