Negative self-talk is something that everyone deals with in life. Whether the little voice inside your head tells you to skip that new workout class or that you are just not smart enough, pretty enough, or you do not know what you are doing, it is annoying and unhealthy. While studies show that being self-aware is both insightful and a reality check, negative self-talk that is constantly putting us down can have severe implications.
We all have this annoying inner voice that puts us down at times. Even when we work extensively to do personal development work and read all the books, that voice still exists. This voice feeds on our insecurities to negatively affect our emotions, well-being, and accomplishment potential. You must learn to quiet this voice so it does not rule your life or you will miss out on much of life. When negative self-talk controls you, your greatness is blocked. It can keep you trapped in horrible jobs, unhealthy relationships, and can keep you from realizing your dreams in many areas. Thankfully, there is a way out.
Instead of giving in to the voice, you can learn to eliminate from your mind. This turns the negative into a positive which is something we all need to practice in our lives. Below are three steps that will help keep the voice at bay, however, these have to be practiced continually because the voice never fully disappears.
Get to Know Your Voice
To change the way you speak to yourself, you must be able to recognize your inner voice immediately. This allows you to catch what is being said sooner so it can be altered. Try writing out each day where you are most likely to berate yourself. This could be about not speaking up, maybe about your body, or perhaps general choices. Take note of what the inner voice is telling you.
After you have taken time to pay attention to when that inner voice is loudest, take time to journal. Write for about 15 minutes a day without editing, just free flowing. This is a time you need to set aside for a deep dive into the self. This self-awareness is only part of it, because you must also embrace your inner voice and stay close to it. This is how you learn to control and manage it effectively.
Uncover Hidden Beliefs
As you draw closer to your inner voice, you learn the areas in which it is most vocal. Review the common statements and identify the limiting beliefs in each. Many inner voices will tell you that you are not good enough, not strong enough, or do not deserve good things. While this is unhealthy, it is common. Once these skewed beliefs are recognized, they can be broken down.
Challenge the Beliefs
While no one can be perfectly happy and positive all day, every day, you can change your limiting beliefs so that you can feel good about yourself overall on this life journey. Each day, make it a priority to challenge faulty beliefs of the voice. These beliefs are not fact based, but have been created by something in life. Reality is based on what you believe without the opinions of others seeping in and feeding the inner voice. When we continually do not feel good enough, we self-sabotage and get stuck in a horrible cycle. This can leave us resentful and walled off, keeping us from our authentic self.
Conclusion
When you become aware of your inner voice and negative self-talk, identify them specifically, and learn to challenge them, then things can change for the better. This may take time and practice, but it will always be worth it.