Of all the communication you
do, none is more important than how you talk to yourself. Your internal
dialogue has more to do with your success in life than any other factor.
Every minute you are awake, you engage in 800 to 1,200
words of self-dialogue. In these conversations, you solve problems (or
create them), make decisions (or avoid them), judge, praise, or disparage
yourself. You can dwell on past mistakes or plan future achievements.
Obviously, the more positive and forward-looking your talk, the stronger and
better prepared you become.
In the computer world, the word GIGO means "garbage in, garbage out."
Your mind works the same way. What you talk to yourself about directly
affects how you live your life.
Encouraging Words:
Whenever you catch yourself engaging in negative self-talk, take a deep breath
and break the cycle.
1. Choose one thing you are grateful for and talk to yourself about it for
thirty seconds. This blocks out your negative self-talk.
2. Choose one thing you like about yourself, Describe it, How does it enhance
the things you do? How does it advance and enrich others? What is
its impact on your community, your industry, and the world?
3. What are you most proud of? Make a strong mental picture of it and
tell yourself all about it.
4. What future event are you most looking forward to? Describe it to yourself
in vivid detail. Elaborate, expand, expound. Add Technicolor and stereo.
Live it.
5. Keep an upbeat book or tape handy to reinforce your positive self-talk and
use them whenever you feel negative. (When you are moving around, listen to the
tape. When you are settled in one place read the words).
Being your own biggest booster doesn't mean you're immodest. How can others be
motivated to promote you and give you a hand up if you're not positive about
yourself?
Remember: five years from now,
you'll be the same person you are today - except for the people and situations
you've encountered and the thoughts you've thought. Keep your thoughts
positive, upbeat and future-oriented.
No
one else is in a better position to be your biggest cheerleader than YOU.