We live in a culture where we are constantly made aware of all the great and amazing things others are doing and all of the great and amazing things we are not doing. Social media and technology have enabled us to foster and maintain connections and relationships but has created a toxic climate of competition and comparison. We live in a world where it is incredibly easy to identify all the ways you are not good enough or all of the ways you have failed. Because of this, we are in desperate need to consciously attack and counteract negative self-talk, especially as this might be our natural response to when we experience difficult emotions or low self-esteem.
Some of the negative self talk people often engage in includes: “I’m not doing enough,” “I’m doing too much,” “No one values me,” or “I am not worthy of my partner.” However, if a loved one approached you and disclosed similar sentiments, would you agree with them or would you vehemently disagree and assure them that they are deeply loved and valued? If others deserve this love and appreciation, don’t you as well? Because everyone deserves love, especially you, developing positive self-talk can bring monumental changes to how you view yourself and how you view the world.
When engaging in positive self-talk, it is important to realize there are multiple components to validating and addressing your feelings while seeking to change them to promote your own self-worth and self-esteem. For example, to counteract the negative self-talk “I’m not doing enough” one might say instead “I may not be doing as much as I would like and I know I am doing as much as I am able to.” In addition, it is also important to be kind to yourself and engage in self-talk that empowers you, like “I am strong and I am enough” or “I am passionate and committed to all that I do.”
By making these small changes in how you engage in self-talk can transform the way you view yourself and your place and purpose in the world. With the tragic events of 2020 and 2021, we all need more kindness and more compassion, starting with you.
For more information on the article that inspired this post, click here.
