Negative Self Talk? How to Clear It
Tracey Gazel
I help senior leaders and executive teams master resilience, focus, and composure under pressure—unlocking their highest level of clarity, decision-making, and leadership presence in today’s high-stakes business world.
What does negative self talk sound like to you??
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Everyone has it in some form or another.?
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For some of my clients it sounds like "I can't do this", "I'll never change", "I'm hopeless", and even "I'm stupid".?
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For others, including myself, it is more of a general feeling that seems to lurk beneath the surface of many of my experiences where I feel like I'm not good enough or what I accomplish isn't enough, no matter what I do.?
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Negative self talk can show up as the monkey mind, imposter syndrome, or a fear a failure.
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And it often speaks to us in words that we have never said out loud but have gotten used to hearing in our own head.?
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It can plague our existence and discourage us from trying new things and enjoying everything we have worked for.?
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If you have noticed you have negative self talk, first know that you are not alone.
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Every single human being has this.?
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It's part of the human experience.?
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Another important thing to know is negative self-talk, although emotionally triggering and discouraging, is simply a passing thought.?
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Neuroscience estimates that we think from 50,000 to 70,000 thoughts per day.?
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Some of those thoughts are boring like thoughts about toothpaste and potatoes.
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Other thoughts are highly emotionally charged, such as thoughts about world war three or political division or the climate crisis.
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The only difference between a thought that feels boring and a thought that is emotionally charged is the attention and the meaning that we give to those thoughts.?
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All thoughts are inherently neutral.?
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I suppose you could say every thought starts out like a toothpaste or potato thought. ????
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Remember:?
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You are not your thoughts.?
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You are the thinker of your thoughts.?
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And every thought you think isn't true.?
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Every thought is neutral and meaningless until you attach attention and meaning to it.?
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This would mean then, that negative self talk are just thoughts about yourself that you have made a habit of listening to and believing to be true!?
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We all have habitual thoughts that we have been thinking over and over for years since childhood that we believe to be true about ourselves and the world around us.
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(This is why thoughts can be so tricky to catch as they seem like "that's just the way life is")?
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Now I don't know about you, but when I think a thought about toothpaste or a potato, it's in one ear and out the other. In other words, it's not something that I spend a lot of time thinking about!
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Negative self talk thoughts can be the same.
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Because if all thoughts are neutral, we can let go of any thought.
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The next time you catch yourself hearing a negative self talk thought, remind yourself that you don't have to listen to it.
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It's an old thought that isn't true.
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Treat it like a potato or toothpaste and let it go!
-Tracey
P.S. This Wednesday, April 10th I'm hosting a free workshop on LinkedIn where I'll be sharing more tools about how to quiet your mind, feel calmer, and enjoy life more. I'll be answering your questions in real time. I'm also going to be sharing more about the 'feeling' of quieting your mind, as it is important get in touch with the feeling within yourself to continue to progress! Click here to RSVP to the workshop on LinkedIn and receive a notification when the event is starting. See you there!
Tracey Gazel?
Consultant?| Coach | Author | Speaker?
Rising?Higher?Consulting?Inc.
Sr. Director of R & D at Medtronic (retired), Author of "Mantra Leadership", "Mantra Design", & "Finding Heaven"
11 个月It's important to learn to love yourself first, then loving others is easier and helps with natural boundaries as part of a greater sum.