Did you know that your inner dialogue (aka the “voice in your head”) is one of the biggest influencers on your confidence and self-esteem?

If your self-talk is positive and empowering – fantastic! That didn’t happen by accident. You developed a HABIT of speaking to yourself that way, and your life likely reflects that positivity.

But if your self-talk tends to be on the negative side (which is the case for a LOT of people), I’ve got some coaching tips that can help you turn it around.

The first thing to know is that you are NOT your thoughts. That little voice in your head can say a LOT of things that aren’t always true.

That internal noise is called “thought chatter” – and it’s a process that happens when your brain isn’t otherwise engaged.

TIP: Think of it as a body process like digestion or breathing. It’s just a byproduct of your brain doing its job.

That means you can gain control over it!

Here are some things you can do to turn that negative thought chatter into something empowering that helps you reach your goals (instead of derailing you) …

• RECOGNIZE IT – the first step is to be aware that it’s even there in the first place! Pay attention to yours today – how often does it show up?

• CALL IT OUT – As soon as you notice the negative self-talk happening, shut it down! Don’t criticize yourself for having the chatter. Instead, think, “I hear you in there – and I’m not interested in your nonsense TODAY!” You can even give it a name if you want – like Negative Nelly or Cynical Cindy, or Pessimistic Pete.

• REDIRECT IT – If you notice yourself falling into negative thought patterns, turn those thoughts around fast.Example: let’s say you are feeling stressed from work, and your internal chatter is telling you to skip your workout because you’re too tired and grouchy. Turn that around by telling yourself your workout will lift you OUT of this mood and give you the exact boost you need (because it actually WILL!).

• REPLACE IT – This is a proactive approach. Instead of redirecting the negative self-talk AFTER it starts, come up with some positive thoughts that have meaning to you. Then, repeat them to yourself several times a day.

  Ideas: “I am confident and unstoppable.” “I feel strong and motivated.” “I’m really proud of how well I’m doing with my fitness routine.”

Negative thoughts are not something you should ever be ashamed of … we all have them.

The key is to become aware of them and to replace them with ideas and thoughts that help you build CONFIDENCE and feel good about yourself… not tear you down and beat you up.

Life is too short to let negative self-talk lie to you and prevent you from living the life you are MEANT TO LIVE.

Don’t you agree?

REFERENCES: 

• www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/out-the-darkness/201803/the-voice-inside-your-head
• www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/living-forward/201603/4-ways-stop-beating-yourself-once-and-all

Rob is the owner and founder of Fitness Lifestyle Personal Training.

He has been training for over thirty-three years; seventeen of those years as a personal trainer helping others reach their goals.