We’re often hardest on ourselves. If you find yourself in a constant cycle of negative self-talk, here are a few tips to help you change your mindset.
Benefits of Positive Self-Talk
There are a plethora of amazing outcomes that come from refining a positive mindset. If you decrease your negative self-talk, you can expect a longer lifespan, lower levels of stress and pain, lower rates of depression and increased resiliency.
Practice Makes Perfect
A positive mindset is not something that comes natural to most of us. It takes a lot of consistency and practice in order to perfect this skill. Speak to yourself the way you would speak to another person- with kindness and patience. Be gentle and encouraging. If you find yourself thinking negatively, break down that thought to get to the root of it. Rationally consider it and then dismiss it. Focus on gratitude and all of the things you’re doing well. Give yourself the compliments you deserve.
Check Yourself
Throughout the day, stop to check in with yourself. Think about how you’ve been speaking to yourself internally. If there have been instances where you’ve been negative toward yourself, recognize that and make a plan to move forward. When you feel yourself immersed in negative thoughts, find a way to spin them into positive ones.
Find Humor
Learn to laugh through tough times. Give yourself permission to find humor in your everyday life. Difficult times are much easier to manage when you can find ways to smile and laugh things off.
Adapt Your Lifestyle
One of the best things you can do for yourself to improve your mindset is to adapt your lifestyle with healthier habits. An article written for mayoclinic.org states, “Aim to exercise for about 30 minutes on most days of the week. You can also break it up into 5- or 10-minute chunks of time during the day. Exercise can positively affect mood and reduce stress. Follow a healthy diet to fuel your mind and body. Get enough sleep. And learn techniques to manage stress.”
What Can You Change?
One of the most important things you can do when working on improving your mindset is to evaluate the things you have going on in your life. Identify the aspects that cause you to think negatively. When you’ve identified those things, think about ways you can make changes. For example, if your daily commute is something that causes you to think negative thoughts, find a way to change it. You could take public transportation if you dislike driving. You could find a coworker to carpool with if you’re concerned with gas prices. You could also talk to your employer about working from home a couple days a week in order to cut down your time spent commuting. Get creative to find solutions!
Improving the way you speak to yourself takes a lot of practice. However, it will help you develop more love and appreciation for the person you are.