The Power of Communication - Self Talk
The way we communicate is important. It shapes our relationships, our worldview and how we interact with everyone – and that includes ourselves.
Whilst some of us might have been called out for talking to our self, the truth is that in fact, we all do it! Whether you are the narrator of the group or the silent type never to be caught muttering your shopping list out loud, we all engage in self-talk. Self-talk, as in the act of speaking to oneself, is something we all do. For some, a little bit (or a lot) of that talk may be spoken aloud but for the most part, this ongoing conversation with our self happens in our head, called our inner dialogue.
We’ve all grown to be wary and considerate of what we say to the people around us and it matters just as much when that person is you. How our self-talk sounds has a real-word impact, shaping how we think and feel about the world as well as ourselves. Sometimes, that little voice inside us can be unkind. This negative self-talk, which you might also know as your inner critic, often has us thinking dispiriting thoughts that assassinate our character and deal a huge blow to our self-esteem, motivation and productivity. Making a habit of thinking like this reinforces these neural pathways and causes our brain to think pessimistically, leaving mental health to really take a hit.
The good news is that self-talk is a habit, which means that if we put in the hard yards, we can set the tone for however you want that voice in our head to sound and for many, that starts with talking to yourself the way you would others. For most of us, this would fall under positive self-talk, which unlike its counterpart negative self-talk, is encouraging and instructional. Being your own coach and cheerleader not only makes being with our self more bearable, but it gives that little boost, enabling us to perform and feel our best.
So if there’s something you take away from this, it’s that kind words to yourself really do matter and that there’s really no shame in talking to yourself.
The following video really brings home the power of self talk:
