This month we are taking a deep dive into Body Confidence, and today I want to focus on SELF-TALK since it has such a big influence over not just your mood, but also your health.

SELF-TALK is the words that you use to speak to yourself, not only out loud but in your head. 

Studies show some people are naturally nicer to themselves in the words they choose – and as a result have a more optimistic outlook and even BETTER HEALTH.

This even includes a 50% lower risk of dying from cardiovascular disease and a higher cancer survival rate. 

And likewise, those who tend to harp on themselves or use a negative tone in their inner dialogue tend to have a more negative attitude and outlook on life.

This week I want you to do a check-in and monitor the way you speak to yourself! And if you notice you tend to be more negative than you want to, turn your words around! 

I’ve got some tips for you in a second, but first I want to talk about why it matters.

A lot of us talk to ourselves in a way we would NEVER speak to anyone else, even our worst enemies!

This matters because positive self-talk and having an optimistic attitude is linked with better health and even a reduced risk of sudden death!

I’m talking about: improved immune function, less pain, better heart health, more energy, greater sense of fulfillment in your life, and less stress.

That sounds pretty amazing, right?

Sometimes you can speak negatively to yourself and not even realize it. There are four basic kinds of negative self-talk. You might recognize some of them.

1 - Black & white thinking: Things are either good or bad, sweet or sour, happy or sad. There’s no room for middle ground. This is a really rigid way to look at life!

2 - Personalizing the things around you. Basically, this is blaming yourself for everything that happens. 

3 - Only focusing on the negative of situations. 

4 - Everything feels like a catastrophe. This is when you expect the worst from everything, or feel constantly under threat of attack.

None of those sound like very much fun.

So … this week CHECK yourself and if you find you are veering into the negative side of things, turn it around.

Here are some tips to help retrain your mind so you hear more positive self-talk every day.

You might notice certain things set off your negative self-talk. Watch for patterns, and when you notice situations that make you feel negative, you can anticipate them and be ready for them! 

This could happen at work, or maybe if you are faced with a mountain of chores at home when you’re tired from working all day. 

Or maybe being around negative people makes you feel uncomfortable, and you find your mood is affected by them.

Look for humor all around you! (you usually find what you’re looking for!) If you need a positive boost, find something funny – this could be a funny video or TV show, comedy act, or you can go pro and try to find the humor in your situation.

Find positive people to hang out with or follow on social media!

Find quotes or affirmations that have meaning for you, and repeat them when you find yourself feeling negative.

Your inner dialogue is like your life’s internal soundtrack. You deserve to hear something amazing every day! So if you don’t love what you are listening to … change the channel!