When your self-talk isn’t cheering you on…Change the conversation!

We can be our worst critics, but we need to be our biggest supporter! Our thoughts have the power to fuel us to move forward, challenge us to start the next great adventure, and empower us to speak our mind and love who we are. They also have the power to keep us small, encourage us to hide and change ourselves, and strip us of our confidence. The good news is that we are bigger than our thoughts, and although they can seem overwhelming at times, we hold the power to change them if they are not serving us. Today I want to talk about three simple ways you can begin to stop negative self-talk and change the conversation!

The first thing you have todo before you start any of the steps is stop, take three long slow breaths, and recognize that these thoughts are not serving you. Now you are ready to take action!

Say the Opposite. If you are telling yourself you can't do something then change it to the opposite.  I can do this! Then back it up with three reasons why.  Another example would be: I am not pretty enough...

  I am beautiful inside and out

• I have a heart full of compassion.
• My smile brightens my day and other's.
• My body is healthy and strong.

You are not only focusing on the positive, but you are also explaining to yourself exactly why the positive self-talk is speaking the truth.

Gratitude. Sometimes when we get into a negative thought cycle we just need a drastic shove into the positive. One thing that helps me tremendously in those times is to create a mental or physical list of the things I am grateful for.  Either on paper or in your mind start a list of everything that you appreciate.  From big to small think about anything and everything that brings you comfort, joy, love, and happiness. This exercise shifts your energy from negative to positive leaving you with a bit more hope for the future and peace in the present.

Be your Friend. We seem to always be kinder and more positive to the other people in our lives that we care about than we are to ourselves, so be your friend. If your best friend shared with you the thoughts that she was having about herself, what would you tell her? How would you care for her needs and feelings? Now, do and be that for yourself!

Let your thoughts work for you, nurture you, and inspire you to be the truly amazing person that you are.  If they are not cheering you on, then it is time to change the conversation!

Cheers to the One Amazing You

www.oneamazingyou.com