You Talkin’ To Me?
Self-talk is the internal dialogue that runs through your head every day and can be positive or negative in nature. The language we use with ourselves can have profound effects on mood, health, happiness, motivation, worldview, and achievement of goals. Performance and success are enormously impacted by the way in which we talk to ourselves. Doesn’t it stand to reason that we need to bring this knowledge to the micro-level of our everyday lives in order to improve self-care and well being?
In a 2022 study published in Psychophysiology, a peer reviewed journal, it was found that manipulating self-talk alters hormonal response patterns and affects respiratory and cardiovascular health as well as influence motivation and outcome of tasks undertaken. Furthermore, by developing an awareness of how we address the self, we flip a switch in the cerebral cortex which is the centre of thought, and another in the amygdala which is the seat of fear. This will move us closer to or further from our sense of self and all its emotional intensity.
Positive self-talk tips: Identify automatic thoughts and unhelpful beliefs/behaviours and reality check these thoughts, to speak to yourself as you would speak to a friend and remember that everyone makes mistakes.