Overcome Anxiety By Using Positive Self Talk
We often engage in an internal monologue with ourselves in ways that are sometimes so subtle that we hardly notice we are doing it. Yet the mind hears what we tell ourselves and pays attention to every word we whisper inside us. The mind gets tricked into believing that our self talk is always right, especially the words that we often repeat to ourselves daily.
The brain can not distinguish between positive and negative self talk. It recognizes any repeated thought or word as a command and does what it is told. For example if we frequently tell ourselves that we can not improve our lives because there are factors beyond our control, then the mind will process that statement as truth. This is how the negative thoughts that we feed our minds everyday turn into self-fulfilling prophecies.
We create negativity in our lives by the constant thoughts we utter to ourselves related to failure and even fear of success. There are also instances that this negativity is not something we just pushed onto ourselves. It is possible that people who influenced our growing years have also conditioned us with negative concepts and through the years, we had acquired the same habits of negative self talk.
Much of the anxieties we feel everyday are related to the negative self talk we engage in. Often those “What if…” questions are fueled by the negative thoughts that we hear inside us and as we feed our minds with constant nagging anticipation of the worst, anxiety sets in. The only way to stop this process before it becomes a bad habit deeply ingrained in our sub-conscious is to replace the negative thoughts with positive affirmations. Like all bad habits, negativity can only be replaced by a better habit – focusing on positive thoughts to gain positive results.
Try saying positive affirmations several times a day and see the power of words help you overcome your anxiety and transform your life. Here are a few guidelines on how to use positive affirmations to manage everyday anxieties:
1. Use only positive words describing what you want to achieve. Use specific words to create a picture in your mind of your end goal.
2. Use the first person, “I” and the present tense when phrasing your affirmations. Statements such as “I am living a fulfilling life, surrounded by people who love me” tells the mind that this is a reality, not something that is still about to happen.
3. It helps if you can write your positive affirmations down and post them where you can easily see them everyday.
4. Use short words that are easy to remember.
5. Try to repeat your affirmations at times of the day when the brain is most receptive to suggestions, such as a few minutes after you wake up or before you sleep.
Once your mind gets used to these positive affirmations, every time a negative thought sets in, the mind will challenge its validity and the anxiety that usually develops from negativity will be eliminated. Positive affirmations do not only serve to prevent anxiety from taking over your life. They can also direct your energies to create positive changes in your life.
