"Self Talk"

Hi-i!

Thanks, for keepin’ it real! Hahaha! ;O)

What I love about the term “self talk” is how it shows up society’s pretentions. We can speak of affirmations. We can talk of self-hypnosis. We can consider how to apply Neuro-Linguistic Programming upon our present mental state. But, so much of it just comes down to what you say when you talk to yourself—and admitting that we DO talk to ourselves (even if only in our minds).



The idea of positive self talk, though, gets murky pretty fast.

Some people mean that you should always be kind to yourself. In other words, be your own best friend. When down, cheer yourself up! Just as you would a friend.

Some people look at this in a more technical fashion. They warn that we don’t experience life in terms of negation. So, if someone says, “Don’t think of a pink elephant,” we’re doomed to think of exactly that—despite the “don’t.” Therefore, they warn of the danger in saying things like “I won’t eat too much at the party.” What would be better, they explain is to think, “I’ll focus on dancing and laughing and noticing all the colorful aspects of the party!”

And, some people say every thought should point you closer to your goal! Only thoughts that push you in the appropriate direction are actually positive. So, it’s important to sprinkle your thoughts with questions, like “Am I using my time in the best possible way?” (I find this approach—as Esther Hicks would put it—a bit “upstream?”)

Which of these approaches feels more like one you can jump on and take off with? Keep the answer in mind. It’ll help you choose future reading and other forms of learning and motivational material with greater ease!

Sunshine & Blessings,
Giovani