Go for it – Talk to yourself!
I know it’s considered a little weird, but I often find myself talking to myself. Truthfully, positive self talk is something that can be very healthy! Yes, it’s probably better to keep it in your head, but I figure, since everyone is talking on Bluetooth in their cars these days, nobody is going to realize that I’m the only one listening when I talk – LOL 🙂
But seriously, positive self talk for stress relief is really important.
START WITH A LITTLE SELF-ANALYSIS
Today I was sitting at one of those “traffic lights of 1000 suns”, as my friend Rachel puts it, and I was getting impatient. My morning meeting had gone over and I really needed to get to the office to get my Monday “to do” list underway. When the light finally turned green I was relieved.
But then… OMG! The friggin’ thing turned red again just as it was my turn to go through the intersection!!! “Are you kidding me? I have to wait through this stupid thing again?” screamed in my head.
That’s where the self-talk kicks in. I said to myself, “hey, what’s up? Why are you in such a hurry? The to-do-list will get as done as it’s going to get done.”
Then I analyzed what could be making me so anxious. Well, I remembered, I had quite a bit of caffeine this morning. The dog was having tummy trouble last night, so he kept waking me up to let him out. Of course I was super tired this morning and facing a full day. Thus, it was a cup of coffee in the morning and a chai tea latte during my meeting. Caffeine is great for keeping me awake, but it’s not so great at keeping my nerves at bay.
With that simple realization I was able to say to myself, “who is in control here? You or the caffeine?” And then I took a few deep breaths, relaxed my shoulders, and laughed at my silliness – laughter is a GREAT antidote to stress!
MAKE IT PART OF YOUR DAILY ROUTINE
In his book, The Miracle Morning, Hal Elrod talks about how to start your day with a positivity-based morning routine. This is a time you take for yourself before you start getting ready for work, helping the kids get ready for school, or anything else that is not intended to get your day started on a positive note!
Want to know one of the most important things I bring into my morning routine? You guessed it – positive self talk! Some people call this affirmations. And yes, I do use affirmations!
I own and LOVE these affirmation cards! I use them year-after-year!
But, positive self talk goes beyond affirmations. I also use a hefty dose of gratitude! And not just for material things… for the non-material, simple things like the sky and clouds, my family and friends (even when they are driving me nuts), my sweet doggies… And, I have gratitude for myself! You see, as a person who struggles with depression and anxiety, I am always grateful to myself for taking care of myself so that I can survive and thrive!
Speaking of gratitude, I used to end-up feeling guilty at the same time I was trying to be grateful. I know, weird. But, may I draw your attention back up to the aforementioned depression and anxiety… it does weird things to a person’s thoughts. HERE is my blog on that topic.
My morning routine also includes exercise! I get on the treadmill and listen to uplifting podcasts or books. During this I’m often engaging in positive self talk in response to what I’m hearing from the podcasters and authors.
GOOD DAYS COME FROM SELF COACHING THROUGHOUT THE DAY
Use your positive self talk throughout your day. Maybe you need to boost yourself up a little when someone brings you down.
Perhaps you need to remind yourself that you are doing the best you can with the tools you have when you feel pulled on by too many people and responsibilities.
Try using self-coaching techniques like taking first-things-first when you feel overwhelmed.
So go for it – Talk to yourself! Keep it positive. Keep it productive. And laugh with good nature.
Love, Light & Namaste!
Jen
