How Negative Self-Talk Might be Impacting Your Life

Your mind and body are very closely connected. There is something known as the mind-body connection, which refers to the close association between the brain and body.

This close connection means that the thoughts that we have on a day-to-day basis can affect our physical reality. In other words, the things that you think about can manifest in your body. Because of this, negative self-talk can lead to physical effects and can cause symptoms to show up throughout the body.  When you are constantly telling yourself negative things, it can result in physiological and psychological changes in the long term.

When you switch from thinking negatively to thinking more positively, you can see improvements in your mood, concentration, energy levels, and physical health.

What is Negative Self-Talk?

Negative self-talk can take on a number of different forms. It encompasses all of the negative things that we tell ourselves. It may be something to do with personality, competency, guilt, shame, or blame.

What Are the Effects of Negative Self-Talk?

Negative self-talk can lead to a number of alterations in the brain and body, including:

• Impaired ability to concentrate on your work or studies
• Poor performance in cognitive tasks
• Feeling low and having very low self-confidence
• Perfectionism and setting unattainable goals for yourself
• Reduced success rates at work or school, or in sports
• Constant criticism and poor communication in relationships

How Can You Minimize Negative Self Talk?

As you can see, it is important to minimize negative self-talk as much as possible. Here are some effective strategies that you can use to shift from negative to positive thought patterns.

• Notice when you are starting to become overly critical of yourself or feelings of guilt, shame, or judgment appear
• Practice self-love and gratitude by writing down everything that you love about yourself
• Remind yourself of all your successes
• Remember that nobody is perfect, and you should never strive for perfection in life
• If you find it too difficult to switch directly from negative to positive thought patterns, convert your negative thoughts into neutral thoughts
• Treat yourself as kindly as you would a friend or family member
• Surround yourself with positive people who lift your spirits