Do you know how to master self talk? Every one of us engages in self-talk. Do you find yourself saying things like, “Gak, I’m late again,” or “It would be just like me to mess up this presentation!”?

Wouldn’t you rather hear things like, “I did an amazing job on that project,” or “My clothes are fitting so well now that I’m exercising more!”?

Mastering the art of self-talk means you speak honestly and positively to yourself. When you become skilled at this, you’ll feel empowered and encouraged. As a result, your days will be filled with joy and happiness, you’ll work harder to achieve your goals, and you’ll feel better about yourself.

Your self-talk is a powerful thing – it affects pretty much everything about your life!  Your self-talk influences what you believe about yourself and how you’ll act (and react) in the future.

Try these techniques to help you master this life-affirming art:

1. Keep it real.When you’re honest, you’ll feel more comfortable with yourself. If you know you could have done better on a work project, acknowledge that to yourself. Part of making progress and improving in life is being authentic with yourself about what you’re doing. You can do this without being harsh.
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2. Avoid self-criticism. Although being honest with yourself is important, it’s also equally important to do it in a supportive and informative way. Instead of saying, “I messed up,” acknowledge your decision to perform to a higher standard. Tell yourself how you’ll respond in the future.
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3. Be positive. Talking to yourself in negative or derogatory ways is self-sabotage. If you hear the same things over and over, you start to believe them. Make sure what you say to yourself is positive and self-nurturing.
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4. Focus on your strengths.As you listen to your inner voice throughout your day, you’ll notice that you inadvertently make comments about yourself. Saying “Why did I do that? That was dumb,” … try as much as you can to put the brakes on that J  it isn’t very conducive to moving forward and doing your best.
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   If you recognize your strengths in the situation instead – you will be compelled to move ahead and tackle the next task with gusto.You might tell yourself, “At least I thought the situation through and believed I was doing the right thing. Next time, I’ll do things differently.”

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5. Be kind to yourself. When you’re talking to yourself, are you nice? Do you take care with your own feelings? When you show a caring attitude toward yourself, you’ll also perform better.

Suggested Substitutions in Your Self-Talk

• Instead of saying: “Nothing I do ever turns out right,” try, “I am focusing on how I can succeed when I do this particular task.”

• Rather than thinking: “I should have gotten up early to exercise this morning,” say, “Now I’m going to do my exercise DVD” or, “I’ll walk this evening right after work.”

•  If you were going to say, “There’s nothing really special about me,” change it to, “Everybody has strong points and mine are…”

Can you now see how what you say to yourself influences what you believe and the choices you make in life?

To ensure that your self-talk is empowering and encouraging, practice the tips above. You have the power to create the life you want by mastering this important art.