How You Speak to Yourself Matters

The voice in our head is the one voice we can't escape. It's there first thing in the morning when we wake, and all throughout the day to when the world gets quiet at night. This voice is deciding what you go after, what you believe you deserve, and how far you’re willing to push yourself. Whether you realize it or not, that voice is shaping your life.

The way you talk to yourself is the foundation of everything you do. If your inner voice is always filled with doubt, regret, or fear- "People like me don't succeed," "I wasted so much time," "I always mess things up", "What if I put in all this work and it doesn’t pay off?"-then your actions will start to reflect that because it's a deep belief.

You don’t have to accept this voice.

You can train yourself to think in a way that lifts you up instead of breaking you down. An inner voice where you're capable, and where success isn’t for "other people" but for you too. A voice where obstacles aren’t signs to quit, but proof that you’re on the right path.

Affirming yourself is real. Some people would say that it feels like a lie to speak affirmations that go against your current beliefs. Almost like you're pretending. But it’s not about pretending, it’s about refusing to let the hard moments define what you believe about yourself.

With it being Black History Month, I want to tie in a quick example of the power of self talk:

Muhammad Ali didn’t just believe he was the greatest, he told himself that he was, consistently. His confidence wasn’t arrogance (although many perceived it that way); it was a basis of survival in a country that constantly tried to limit him.

The way you talk to yourself determines how far you’ll go. If you’re constantly doubting yourself, how can you expect to win? 

Today, I challenge you to pay attention to the way you speak to yourself. Sit with these questions below, and if your answers aren't leaning towards a more positive self approach, then something needs to shift.

• If a stranger talked to you the way you talk to yourself, would you listen or believe it?
  
• Are you hyping yourself up or tearing yourself down?
• Are you giving yourself the same confidence you give to others?

What can you do about it...

1. Recognize the Pattern. Self-talk is automatic since it's a deep belief, but once you start noticing it, you can challenge it.

2. Would You Say These Things to Someone You Love? If you wouldn’t say it to them, then why are you saying it to yourself? 

3. Replace the Thought with a Better One. This is your starting point. 

4. Practice Speaking Life Into Yourself. Every day, make it a habit to say something positive about yourself. Even if you don’t fully believe it yet. Remember what I said earlier? You're not pretending, you're refusing to let those thoughts define you. 

5. Be Patient With Yourself.  This is going to take time. You're resetting deep rooted thoughts that you spent years believing and affirming. Take it one day at a time and focus on the progress. 

What’s one thing you can start affirming today? Change your words, change your momentum.

Peace.

written by Morgan | @MORGANtheCEO