Is Self-Talk Crippling You?

Thank you to my client Katie who submitted this for the paNASH blog. I appreciate her being so open and vulnerable so that others won’t feel alone. Lori Bumgarner, Owner of paNASH

I find it hard some mornings to get out of bed because of the hostile environment I have created within my own mind. The damaging voices of “what ifs,” “You’re too fat,” and “You’re not good enough” swirl around in my head before I even step out of bed.

Who’s defeating you in the mornings? Yourself? The outside world? News reports? Job loss? Whether it is internal or external, your self-talk will cripple you before you even begin your day.

“As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he.” Proverbs 27:3

Those mornings can turn into months of unemployment, drinking binges, overeating, under exercising, or self-hating, all which lead to further depression and anxiety. Sometimes it’s a combination of these habits that form worse habits and self-sabotaging behaviors, keeping you right where you’ve always been.

Maybe it’s the friends you surround yourself with. They’re not necessarily pushing themselves, so why would they push you to the next level? It can be parents, grandparents, friends, acquaintances, husbands, wives, etc. The voices that surround you can be just as loud as your own. It never stops either, unless you make a permanent change to be aware of what’s around you, and that goes for TV shows, movies, music, and toxic environments.

Silence the Negative Self-Talk

Here are a few pointers that help me silence the negative self-talk and resist the haters:

BE BOLD: Plain and simple, be bolder than the voices or the noise you’re surrounding yourself with. Smile, stand up tall, and walk like you’re on a runway (body language is everything!). Do this even when you’re all funk without spunk.
TELL IT TO SHUT UP!: Sometimes you have to be the crazy person to battle the crazy person in your own head. If you don’t tell it to shut up, who else will?
MEDITATE: Take time to meditate, slow your roll, and acknowledge what you are actually really thinking versus the mindless clutter. You’ll be shocked at the amount of background noise you’ve been storing up there!
CREATE A UNIQUE PERSONAL MANTRA: Lori is helping me create mine. Once you have yours, post it everywhere and recite it! It’s your personal “HOOAH” for the day to keep the haters away.
TAKE A STAND: This is even deeper than being “bold”— this is where you list your desires and dreams, keep a journal of everything, and begin your pursuit of a passion-filled life. Accept the challenge!

Ladies and gentleman, your self-talk is crippling you and you might not even be aware of it. That hopelessness, sadness, and feeling like “a lost soul swimming in a fishbowl” doesn’t have to be forever. Which is why it is so important to start standing up for yourselves, and being responsible for the life you want to live!