Stop Negative Self-Talk Quickly
Stop Negative Self-Talk Quickly with These Steps
Stop Negative Self-Talk Quickly by practicing the following tips. One of the most critical mindset shifts you can make in your life is eliminating negative self-talk. Although everyone seems to understand the importance of this shift, most people still struggle with it.
A wealth of empirical data reveals that positive self-talk can improve self-esteem, stress management, and overall well-being. Additionally, managing your self-talk effectively can reduce symptoms of depression, anxiety, and personality disorders. When working with my clients, there will always be a focus on guarding and managing self-talk. Why? Because your mind and brain are the most powerful supercomputers on the planet, and your self-talk is the programs and software your mind and brain will run.
I often say that the only limits you have are the ones you create and accept in your mind. One of the quickest ways to crush these limiting beliefs is to develop self-talk that opposes them. You might think that nothing positive is happening in your life, and saying something positive will not change anything. Unfortunately, most people have been programmed to speak or articulate their circumstances—reinforcing their reality. The beautiful thing about the mind and brain is that they cannot distinguish between what is real and what is being imagined. It becomes real to your subconscious when you can speak what you envision and simultaneously visualize it. This practice is a significant part of the Visionetics™ concept.
It stands to reason that if positive self-talk produces positive outcomes, negative self-talk has the opposite effect. Negative, destructive self-talk disrupts your productivity and life goals. You have countless negative conversations happening inside your head throughout your day, and these negative statements can leave you feeling frustrated, angry, defeated, or depressed. A scripture verse states, “out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks(Matt. 12:34).” When the Bible speaks of the “heart” {Hebrew-Leb; Greek-Kardia}, it is referring to the seat of the soul, your subconscious mind. The subconscious control 96 percent of your behavior and outcomes. If you want to change the results you are getting, you must reprogram the subconscious.
While your speech is a reflection of what is inside your heart, it is also capable of reprogramming what is in the heart through consistent repetition. This power to reprogram the subconscious is why your self-talk is so vital.
It is normal to want to solve all of your problems, but self-criticism doesn’t help.
If you catch yourself engaging in this type of negative self-talk, you can learn how to quickly switch gears and redirect your thoughts to more positive ones.
This process can take practice, but you will notice a positive difference in your thoughts and mindset if you try a little each day.
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So what can you do starting today to help halt negative self-talk? These tips will help:
- Take a deep breath. People resort to beating themselves up because they feel overwhelmed, have too much to do, or don’t know how to change their thoughts. If this is you, take a deep breath.
- It helps you momentarily slow down your thought process and realize that you are not in a position to change everything. When you slow your breathing, you also interrupt the stress response, which shuts down the prefrontal cortex— The prefrontal cortex (PFC) is the cerebral cortex covering the front part of the frontal lobe. This brain region has been implicated in planning complex cognitive behavior, personality expression, decision-making, impulse control, and moderating social behavior. The basic activity of this brain region is considered to be the orchestration of thoughts and actions in accordance with an individual’s internal goals. Instead of thinking about how you can change your circumstances, try focusing on the things you can control now.
- Acknowledge your thoughts. Regardless of your negative self-talk stage, it’s important to acknowledge it. It’s very natural (and healthy) to have negative thoughts. Try not to ignore them. Instead, take them as a signal from your mind that change is needed. Remember, out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks. Your unguarded self-talk is a reflection of the current state of your mind. If what you are saying about yourself and your life is unacceptable, this is a sign that change is needed. You will have to override your inherent self-talk with positive self-talk reflective of your desires.
- For example, if you’re feeling defeated, allow yourself to take a moment to give in to those feelings and realize that it’s normal to feel disappointed in yourself and your abilities. Once you have admitted your feelings, you can refocus on what matters in your life. I have a 90-second rule where I allow myself to be in the moment of negative situations. I allow myself to feel anger, frustration, and pain, but after 90 seconds, I challenge myself to focus on what I can change and trust the process and God with the rest.
- Identify the cause. Take a minute to think about what’s behind your negative thoughts.
- Are your complaints and negative self-talk rooted in your inability to practice your strengths, talents, and abilities?
- For example, if you have fantastic communication skills but keep letting your negative self-talk overshadow that fact, it’s time you learn to harness your talents. Frustration and complaining are signs of you accepting the idea that you are powerless to change your current situation. While change rarely comes instantaneously, you have the power to change any situation. You are never stuck until you accept the idea that you are stuck.
- There’s a good chance you’ll realize that your fears and negative feelings were all in your head.
- Create a routine. Building a pattern enables you to take less time, thoughts, and energy in negativity. Working through your negative self-talk is the best way to get past your toxic feelings.
- And you’ll have an easier time working through them if you wake up to a planned day with not much to think about regarding how you will start your day. After all, negative self-talk overwhelms you with unnecessary stress. Creating a routine also eliminates decision fatigue, allowing you to focus your mental energy on the things that matter most.
- If you rise at the same time, have the same breakfast, and exercise at the same time daily, you don’t have much to overthink and get yourself worked up.
- Consciously work to silence your thoughts. Your mind can power through negative thoughts by itself, but your mind doesn’t want to. You have to give it a helping hand. When you notice you’re about to indulge in negative self-talk, snap out of it. Understand that your mind has few limits and is powerful beyond your wildest imagination; however, you will have to activate and demand your mind to take action when it comes to redirecting your thoughts. Dismiss any notion of limitations regarding what your mind can do; this alone will massively reduce your stress levels.
- Make a conscious effort to let the thoughts pass without acting on them. The more you practice this, the better you’ll get at controlling your negative thinking.
Your mindset is the driving force behind your actions, so learning how to shift your thoughts when negative self-talk begins is imperative. You have the power to change your life by changing the way you think about yourself!
