Benefits of positive self talk

You ask yourself, "Why did I set it so early?" as your alarm goes off in the morning. You think, "I need a haircut. If not?" As you dash out the front door, you reach for your keys and discover they are missing. Just as your neighbor notices you shouting in frustration, "I can't do anything right!". Talking to oneself out loud can be embarrassing, and some people may even stigmatize this behavior as a sign of mental instability. But decades of psychology research demonstrate that talking to oneself is completely normal. In fact, most of us—if not all of us—talk to ourselves in some way every day. The narration inside your head, also known as inner speech, is referred to as self-talk.

So why do we talk to ourselves and does what we say matter? It is distinct from mental imagery or remembering numbers and facts. Self-talk is specifically defined by psychologists as spoken thoughts that are directed at you or a particular aspect of your life. Personal exchanges like "I need to practice my free throw" fall under this category. However, it also includes internal reflections that you have throughout the day, such as, "The gym is crowded tonight. Tomorrow, I'll return. Speaking out loud to yourself also falls into this category, even though the majority of adult self-talk is usually silent. In fact, psychologists contend that since children frequently talk aloud to themselves while playing, our first experiences with self-talk are primarily vocal. Russian psychologist Lev Vygotsky proposed the theory that this kind of speech was actually essential for development in the 1930s. Children practice controlling their behaviors and emotions independently by mimicking adult conversations. Then, as they get older, this external self-talk has a tendency to become internalized and change into a personal inner dialogue.

We are aware that this inner dialogue is crucial because it can aid in planning, provide support in trying circumstances, and even serve as motivation throughout the day. It can be challenging to study one's own self-talk, though. It depends on study participants carefully documenting a behavior that frequently occurs without conscious thought. Because of this, scientists are still trying to find answers to fundamental questions, such as why some people self-talk more than others, what brain regions are activated during self-talk, and how does this activation differ from that during normal conversation.

However, one thing is for sure: what you say in these conversations can really affect your attitude and performance. It has been demonstrated that using instructional or motivating self-talk can improve concentration, boost self-esteem, and assist in completing daily tasks. For instance, a study of collegiate tennis players discovered that practicing with instructional self-talk improved their focus and accuracy. Speaking aloud to yourself can also assist you in controlling your emotions, just as conversing with a friend can reduce stress. Distant self-talk is when you speak to yourself as if you were having a conversation with someone else. One study discovered that this kind of self-talk was especially helpful for reducing stress when performing anxiety-inducing tasks, such as meeting new people or public speaking. So, instead of thinking, "I'm going to crush this exam," you might think, "Caleb, you are prepared for this test!". But while encouraging yourself can be beneficial, berating yourself can be detrimental. Most people occasionally judge themselves, but when this behavior becomes too frequent or excessively negative, it can become toxic. Anxiety in both children and adults is frequently predicted by high levels of self-talk. And those who constantly dwell on their problems and blame themselves for them typically feel more depressed than others.

Cognitive behavioral therapy, or CBT, is a type of psychological care that focuses on controlling one's self-talk. Cognitive behavioral therapists frequently share techniques for spotting negative thought patterns and replacing them with neutral or sympathetic ones. These resources can enhance one's mental health over time. Therefore, keep kindness in mind the next time you find yourself talking to yourself. You'll be speaking with that inner voice for many years to come.