Do You Have Positive Self Talk?

What do you tell yourself you see when you look into the mirror in the morning?

It amazes me how much positive self talk I engage in on a daily basis now compared to the past.

I first began to realize the impact positive self talk had on my life when I was in college. Although academics was always one of my strengths, there we times when I slacked off. During these times of mediocrity my grades slipped. However, what I’m most proud of was my ability to rebound due to my positive self talk.

What does it take to main positive self talk in your life?

It comes down to a word that you probably dread seeing – discipline.

You see, positive self talk is not so much about repeatedly chanting fluffy affirmations and mantras to yourself when the accusing voices in your mind start shouting. Positive self talk is all about your ability to discipline yourself to identify when a negative thought comes into your mind, and then replace it with a positive one.

Here’s how I maintain positive self talk in my life:

• First, whenever I catch myself speaking negatively to myself or about myself, I identify what cued those thoughts. It could have been something I was reading, something I saw in my environment, or the way something made me feel. Nonetheless, I conscious identify it.
• Next, I’ll write that thought down and scrutinize it. I’ll ask myself, “Why did I say that? Where did that thought come from? Who was I around when I accepted that thought into my mind?” The most important thing to do is go in depth with your questioning. Strive to get down to the root cause of your negative self talk, instead of the symptoms.
• Lastly, right underneath the negative thought, I’ll write down a positive thought to counteract it. For example, when I was in college, I use to tell myself “I’m not a good writer because I failed a semester of AP English in high school. I just got lucky on that last assignment.” However, during my last round of English classes, my professor pulled me aside to share with me how much he liked my unique style of writing, which really gave me a much needed confidence boost. So “I’m not a good writer” turned in “I’m a dynamic writer.”

Ultimately, positive self talk is all about your ability to discipline yourself to identify your negative thinking, and quickly replace it with positive thinking. Feathery affirmations and mantra are good replacements, but the best replacements are affirmations and mantras that you create, which directly correlate with your own negative thoughts. But to get started, you can use affirmations and mantras you read in books or find on the Internet.

However, your ultimate goal must always be to create your own.

Here’s some positive self talk examples to get you started about confidence, healthy living, financial freedom, overcoming fear/doubt, stress-free living, and dealing with a breakup. (Scroll down close to the bottom of the page to see the list.)

To personal excellence and beyond!

Live With Supreme Confidence,
Dhane, Editor-publisher

Tagged as:  how to think positive · positive self talk · the power of positive thinking