Take Back Control With Positive Self-Talk

In order to take back control with positive self-talk, we have to admit that we engage in negative self-talk.

Because at times, we can be our own worst critics.

We are so hard on ourselves as human beings when we are simply just that. Human.

We make mistakes. Wrong decisions. And slip up.

That is part of what being human is. In one of my very early blog posts, I discussed that in order to confront your fears, you have to change the tune in your head to a much more positive one.

If you are familiar with the term negative self-talk, then you would know it is all those negative things that we tell ourselves. Everything that we can’t stand about ourselves will be the focus of our attention.

Negative self-talk has been a part of my life much longer than I am proud to admit.

When I was younger, that little voice in the back of my mind would pinpoint all of my flaws.

I wasn’t pretty enough. I wasn’t good enough. When your focus lies on your flaws, it can be hard to see the beauty that exists underneath.

Positive self-talk has been something that I have started to implement in my life to interrupt those negative thoughts and by utilizing this practice, I began to see that I am more than my flaws.

And you, too, can take back control with positive self-talk using these tips.

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The Power Of Positive Self-Talk

Before I get into how to take back control, let’s talk about the power of positive self-talk. If you were unaware, we all have this inner dialogue that we have going on in our heads.

At times, this dialogue can either be very negative or positive. When this dialogue is negative, it is often very damaging and pessimistic. When this dialogue is positive, it can be very encouraging and motivational.

Like, I said above I’m my own worst critic.

I can talk really badly to myself. And the bad part is that I will likely believe what I’m saying to myself as opposed to someone else saying it to me.

This is what negative self-talk is capable of doing.

When we intentionally make a point to replace these negative thoughts with positive ones, we will begin to see the better version of ourselves instead of the negative ones that our negative thoughts will try to deceive us with.

If you are looking for another article that really dives into the power of positive self-talk, check out this one by Charity Clinic.

Now, let’s get into how we are going to take back control with positive self-talk.

Take Back Control Using Positive Self-Talk

There are so many benefits to positive self-talk and here I will be providing 4 steps on how to utilize it.

Know Your Triggers

In order to start taking back control with positive self-talk, you have to first be aware of what is triggering the negative self-talk in the first place.

Is it when you make a simple mistake such as forgetting your wallet at home when you left the house? This can feel huge, but at least you know that it is home.

It is easy to start calling yourself dumb and stupid, but it really is a simple mistake.

I am bad about beating myself up for not being productive and allowing myself to be lazy and I also beat myself up on the way I parent my daughter.

As a mom, I know I am doing the best that I can and my daughter is well taken care of.

But, I can’t help but feel like crap some days when I might have overreacted or yelled at her just because “mom was having a bad day.”

Interrupt Negative Thoughts

Once you figure out your own triggers, you can move on to the next step which is interrupting those negative thoughts that start to appear.

Think of those negative thoughts as flies. No one likes flies. Flies get swatted when they are flying too close.

Swat at those negative thoughts that come buzzing around your head. The swatting motion itself is the interruption. If you want to physically swat in the air to fight off the negativity, then have at it. (Just don’t hit anybody in your path)

What I do is just take a deep breath and then release the negativity with my breath.

Release that hateful thought from your body and then breathe in the positivity.

The physical act of breathing does wonders for resetting your brain and providing a sense of calm to relax your mind.

Choose Positive Thoughts

The reason I say choose is because of the lack of control you feel when that little voice of doubt begins to speak.

It may feel like you don’t have control over that voice, but you do have control over how you respond to it. You can choose to think positively and affirm yourself.

Affirmations are such an asset if you use them correctly.

For instance, instead of telling myself that I am stupid and dumb for leaving my phone, I would replace that statement with “I made a mistake and I’m just grateful that it is at home and not somewhere else.”

When we reframe these negative statements, we reframe the way that we perceive them.

Instead of calling yourself a terrible mom for wanting to have a few minutes of peace to yourself, you would say instead that “I deserve a few minutes to myself because I am a great mom.”

Do you feel the difference between those statements?

I am currently working on this and getting better at it as well. If journaling is your thing, get yourself a gratitude journal.

The current one I have is called Simply Grateful.

Practice Makes Perfect

Like with anything else in life, it takes practice to perfect any new habit.

You are not going to going to get rid of negative self-talk overnight. It just doesn’t work like that.

This is especially true if you have been dealing with this for years as I have.

Even with the amount of work I have put into working on myself, that little voice still likes to creep up on me. Trying to tell me that I’m not good enough and that your words won’t mean anything to anybody else.

I have already proved that voice wrong thus far and I will continue to prove it wrong.

And you will too.

Talking to yourself can sound silly, but sometimes saying it out loud brings a sense of clarity. If you start to say it enough, then you will begin to believe in yourself.

Confidence starts within ourselves and therefore, carries over into how we carry ourselves, and to feel confident, you must first be nice to yourself.

Your Turn

Now that I have dove into how I take back control with positive self-talk, it is now your turn. How do you plan to take back control? I would love to hear from you in the comments down below. And while you are still here, check out my previous post linked down below. Until next time!

• Read More: Learn To Love Your Body After Having A Baby

Love,

Just Jass