Talking To Yourself: A Very Therapeutic Exercise
As strange as it may seem, we don’t always give the conversation it deserves the attention it deserves. We neglect ourselves like someone who forgets his personal diary in a drawer, like someone who leaves the house keys in someone else’s pocket.
“Not even the bravest explorer in the world travels as long as one who descends into the depths of his heart.”
Talking to yourself is the key to health
Professor Ethan Kross performed a series of experiments. Its results were both interesting and useful in expanding our understanding of self-talk: the people who talk to themselves and begin their dialogues by saying their own name are more successful. They also appear more confident and feel happier. It may seem naive at first, but we cannot ignore this conclusion either: the brain functions significantly better and perceives the environment differently when we talk to it. Overall, we regulate our emotional world more appropriately.
The dialogue with ourselves has a clear benefit, which science has shown us in various studies. Now we want to look at further aspects in detail.
Talking to yourself promotes intellectual performance
We don’t get smarter overnight because we talk to ourselves. What happens is that we increase our intellectual performance in the long term. This means that we increase our ability to reflect, improve our concentration, and are less easily distracted.
When we say something as simple as “Mary, concentrate and think about what you want to do about this problem!” or “Simon, you are wasting your time. Calm down and remember what is happening! “This can undoubtedly help us to optimize our cognitive processes.
“There are three things that are extremely tough: steel, diamonds, and self-knowledge.”
Benjamin Franklin
Talking to yourself increases self-esteem
Each of us lives shares our environment with a number of people. Sometimes we get along better with them, sometimes worse. Apart from our environment, it is ourselves with whom we share our life. So why are we excluded from the equation of human relationships? Why don’t we stay with ourselves all day, have a cup of tea or coffee and talk to ourselves about this and that?
Nobody is going to drive us crazy. If you do, you are missing out on one of the most tried and tested techniques of self-help and personal growth. Here are a few small examples of this:
- Talking to ourselves allows us to focus on the present moment and feelings. We become aware of our emotions, understand and regulate them.
- Inner dialogue is also a rich source of motivation. It is the most accessible, the most trusted, and the one that never disappoints. Even in the most difficult of situations, nothing can be more encouraging than telling yourself, “Go on, Angela, you have a hard time, but you can’t give up now and you will do it!”
- On the other hand, it was explained to us in a specialist article that by speaking loudly we flip a switch in the cerebral cortex. The consciousness of the ego is based on this, and when we switch it on, we develop greater control over our psyche in order to think more clearly and efficiently.
- By indulging in that calmer and safer inner voice, we are well on the way to becoming more positive. In addition, we put negative thoughts into perspective.
In conclusion, one thing can be said about talking to yourself: They only have a positive effect if we manage to give them that direction. We all know this constant whisper of self-doubt. We tell ourselves that we are doing something wrong and accuse ourselves of not being able to undo mistakes. Let’s avoid the negative conversations. After all, there is nothing worse than turning us into our worst enemy.
Let’s try not to neglect ourselves. We should take care of ourselves as we would a precious good. It is important to conduct this inner dialogue in a positive, constructive and emotional way.
