What Is Positive Self-Talk?
All of us keep a running dialogue with ourselves throughout the day. Whether it’s personal commentary, thoughts on life, the circumstances of your day or something else, you have the opportunity to fill your day with positive self-talk. Instead of continuing a pattern of negative self-talk, break the cycle and learn how you can change your outlook on life with positive thoughts that increase your self-esteem.
Defining Positive Self-Talk
Think of self-talk as your inner voice. While you may not have focused on it before, you’ve practiced self-talk throughout your entire life. It’s the running commentary always going on in the background, and it influences how you see yourself and the world around you.
Positive self-talk is an inner monologue that makes you feel good about yourself and everything going on in your life. It’s an optimistic voice in your head that encourages you to look at the bright side, pick yourself up when you fall and recognize when you fail.
Positive vs. Negative Self-Talk
There’s a big difference between positive and negative self-talk. Positive self-talk tells you things like “I’m doing my best” or “I don’t feel too great today, but things could be worse.” It allows you to look at the bright side and encourage yourself. On the other hand, negative self-talk makes you feel bad about yourself and your overall life. For example, you might say, “Everything is terrible right now” or “I’m not smart enough to do this. I should do better.”
How you feel about yourself can hinge on promoting positive self-talk instead of negative self-talk. Often, we take negative things people say to us and replay it in our heads over and over. Eventually, we hear the message from ourselves so often that we start to feel angry, fearful or even guilty. Overwriting these thoughts with positive self-talk changes those feelings to joy, optimism and contentment.
Positive Self-Talk Quotes
Writing down positive self-talk quotes and posting them around your home, office or car can help you remember to turn negative thoughts into positive ones. Pick your favorite quotes from the ones below or look up another that truly speaks to you:
- “Loving or hating the life you are living is solely all in your repeated self-talk.” – Edward Mbiaka
- “Turn down the volume of your negative inner voice and create a nurturing inner voice to take its place. When you make a mistake, forgive yourself, learn from it, and move on instead of obsessing about it. Equally important, don’t allow anyone else to dwell on your mistakes or shortcomings or to expect perfection from you.” – The Nice Girl Syndrome: Stop Being Manipulated and Abused — And Start Standing Up for Yourself”
- “Positive self-talk is to emotional pain as pain pill is to physical pain.” –