Self-talk can be defined as our ongoing internal monologue. It’s a person’s inner voice and the inner critic that we hear on a daily basis. It can be positive or negative, but the good news is we can reprogram negative self-talk.
Negative self-talk can originate from a variety of places. Often, negative self-talk develops from our experiences as a child or things we were told at a young age, for example:
“You’re being selfish.”
“Do as your told.”
“Stop crying!”
“Don’t be so sensitive.”
“Behave yourself!”
These types of messages can negatively impact a child’s confidence and self-esteem. It may influence the thoughts they develop as they grow older unless they’re shown how to change fear-based thoughts to good-feeling thoughts.
Our thoughts create our life experiences. If you want to change your life, begin with your thoughts. The greatest skill we can master is the ability to control our thought patterns. This is not an easy task, and it takes practice. We must choose thoughts that elicit peace, love, and harmony. I love Mahatma Gandhi’s quote:
“What he thinks, he becomes.”
It’s so valuable to instill good-thought habits early in life. Children model the behaviour around them. So, when teaching children the power of self-talk, we must begin with ourselves. What do we talk about in the presence of kids? The best way to teach our youth to have a healthy relationship with their thoughts is by being aware of the words we speak.
One of the ways to improve self-talk is by practicing mindfulness. Mindfulness assists in helping us identify the destructive words we say to ourselves. It helps us become aware of our thinking process and become more aware of our judgemental thoughts. Recognizing the words we say to ourselves is the first step to changing our internal dialogue. I’ve found that often kids are not aware of their negative self-talk. Sometimes it has been with them for so long it becomes a part of their reality. Consequently, it manifests in all areas of their lives. This is where mindfulness techniques come in. We have to teach them to be fully present in this moment. Mindfulness is the catalyst to becoming aware of your self-talk.
Making kids aware of how their self-talk affects their beliefs, emotions, and feelings is the first step. The second step is learning to identify self-talk in different situations. Once they’re aware, we can give them tools to combat the negative thought patterns and, in doing so, increase their self-esteem and confidence.
My book, “Empowering our Future,” has many different tools that help kids identify their internal dialogue and many tools that aid in teaching mindfulness to our youth. Mindfulness is also an excellent tool for worry, stress reduction, and anxiety. My book is a guide for parents, teachers, and professionals that provides strategies and techniques to help children thrive in today’s world! For more information, go to:
Until next time…observe your thoughts!!