The Power of Positive Self-Talk: How to Rewire Your Internal Monologue
Transform Your Internal Monologue from Critic to Cheerleader
As your alarm clock strikes the desired time, you mutter to yourself, “Why did I set it so early?”
While brushing your teeth, you glance at your hair and contemplate, “Maybe I need a new haircut?”
Going inside the class and you realize the first period is free. The inner urge to go back home and do your breakfast steadily.
Frustrated, you shout, “Ugh! why did it happen with me only?”
Chill! You are not alone because we all can relate to these everyday chaotic moments. And this actually forms the basis of self-talk.
What is Self Talk?
An internal dialogue that we have with ourselves, as simple as it is. In our society, talking to yourself can be embarrassing, as people stigmatize this behavior as a sign of a mental disorder.
But according to psychological evidence, talking to yourself is completely normal.
In fact, most, if not all, of us engage in some form of self-talk every single day. I quoted some examples just above. But why do we do this behavior?
So why do we engage in this monologue? And does what we say matter?
The Logic Behind Self Talk
Self-talk refers to the narration inside your head, sometimes called inner speech. It is distinct from imagination or recalling facts or memories.
Self Talk includes personal conversations like “I need to work on my Assignments and Lesson Plans.”
But it also includes reflections you have throughout the day, like “I am tired today and hence will sleep early tonight.”
Now, let’s categorize them-
Early Self-Talk
While most self-talk in adults is silent. Speaking to yourself out loud also falls into this category.
In fact, psychologists believe our first experiences with self-talk are mostly vocal, as children often speak to themselves out loud as they play.
In the 1930s, Russian psychologist Lev Vygotsky hypothesized that this kind of speech was actually key to development.
By repeating conversations they’ve had with adults, children practice managing their behaviors and emotions on their own.
Internal Self-talk
As a person grows older, this outward self-talk becomes internalized, morphing into a private inner dialogue. Now this internal self-talk is crucial and can help you organize, tackle difficult situations, and even motivate you toward your goal.
But studying self-talk can be difficult. It relies on study subjects clearly tracking behavior that’s spontaneous and often done without conscious control.
For this reason, scientists are still working to answer basic questions, like, why some people self-talk more than others.
The conundrum is that what areas of the brain activate during self-talk? And how does this activation differ from the normal conversation?
Benefits of Self Talk
One thing I know for certain is that what you say during the Internal Monologue can have a life-changing impact on your attitude and performance.
Recently, I attended a workshop in College in which a small activity led me to write this article. And here I am sharing my insights with you all, as I want you all to feel blessed and cherish yourselves.
Engaging yourself in positive self-talk has been shown to increase focus, boost self-esteem, and help tackle everyday tasks.
For example, one study of tennis players found that incorporating instructional self-talk into practice increased their concentration and accuracy.
As students, we find solace when we talk to our friends about different issues and that decreases overthinking. But once you learn the art of self-talk and managing yourself, there is no other solace.
Distanced self-talk
It is when you talk to yourself, as if in conversation with another person.
So, rather than directly saying, “I’m going to crush this exam,” I might say, “Mehak, you are well prepared and hence you are going to ace it!”
One study found that this kind of self-talk was especially beneficial for reducing stress when engaging in anxiety-inducing tasks, such as meeting new people or public speaking. The best strategy for introverts.
But where positive self-talk can help you, negative self-talk can harm you.
As a single child, I always felt like I was lagging in many aspects. I thought I was failing my parents' expectations and, hence, that made me a Jack of all trades and Master of none. This made me indulge in Negative Self-talk and often I felt disconnected. (Well! It is not the case now).
And soon I realized most people are critical of themselves occasionally, but when this behavior gets too frequent or excessively negative, it can become destructive.
High levels of negative self-talk are often predictive of anxiety in children and adults. And some may form dissociative personality disorders and take extreme measures.
And those who constantly blame themselves for their problems and ruminate on those situations typically experience more intense feelings of depression. And trust me, no one wants that. Gen Z has already got many things on their plates.
How Science Offers a Helping Hand?
Today, there’s a field of psychological treatment called Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy, or CBT, which is partially focused on regulating the tone of self-talk.
Cognitive-behavioral therapists often teach strategies to identify cycles of negative thoughts and replace them with neutral or more compassionate reflections.
Over time, these tools can improve one’s mental health.
So the next time you chat with yourself, remember to be KIND.
That inner voice is a partner that you must cherish.