What are some tools or resources that you use to monitor and improve your self-talk habits?

𝗘𝗻𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝗪𝗲𝗹𝗹-𝗯𝗲𝗶𝗻𝗴: It can boost your performance and overall well-being. 𝗥𝗲𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀: It’s an effective tool for managing stress. 𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗲𝘀 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵: It offers numerous health benefits, including increased vitality, life satisfaction, improved immune function, reduced pain, better cardiovascular health, and less stress. 𝗕𝗼𝗼𝘀𝘁𝘀 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗯𝗹𝗲𝗺-𝗦𝗼𝗹𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴: It can enhance mental skills, aiding in problem-solving and coping with challenges. 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗺𝗼𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝗣𝗼𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗢𝘂𝘁𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗸: It encourages a positive outlook, motivating individuals to keep going and view things optimistically.

An example of a way that I work on positive self talk is by listening to meditations. It’s not something that I’ve mastered, but I’m still actively working on it.❤️

In my experience, breaking patterns of negative self talk has to become an intentional and integral part of daily behavior in order to lead to a change in how we speak to ourselves. How we speak to ourselves is a habit. To break a habit we must become keenly aware of our triggers, have mechanisms in place when we become triggered and have reward mechanisms to reinforce the adaptation of the new habit.

Use your journal to identify specific triggers that lead to negative self-talk. Understanding these triggers is the first step in developing strategies to address them. Practice reframing negative thoughts into positive ones. For instance, instead of saying "I can't handle this," tell yourself, "I can handle this challenge by breaking it down into manageable steps."

𝗔𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀: Recognise when you’re engaging in negative self-talk. 𝗣𝗮𝘂𝘀𝗲: Stop and take a moment to reflect on your thoughts. 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗲: Question the validity of your negative thoughts. 𝗥𝗲𝗳𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗲: Replace negative thoughts with positive or neutral ones. 𝗩𝗶𝘀𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: Visualise your negative thoughts passing by, like boxes on a conveyor belt. 𝗘𝗺𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗵𝘆: Treat yourself as you would a friend in the same situation.

Challenging and replacing negative self-talk can be a powerful way to improve your self-esteem and overall mental wellbeing: 1. Recognize the negative self-talk: Take note of the negative thoughts that come up throughout your day. 2. Challenge the negative self-talk: Challenge it with evidence that contradicts it. 3. Reframe the negative self-talk: Reframe it in a more positive way. 4. Practice self-compassion: Be kind to yourself when negative self-talk arises. 5. Use positive affirmations: Incorporate positive affirmations into your daily routine to reinforce positive self-talk. 6. Seek support: Seek support from a mental health professional who can help you develop coping strategies and improve your self-esteem.

Start each day with positive affirmations related to your goals, strengths, and values. Repeating affirmations can gradually shift your internal dialogue to be more supportive and empowering. If you are not feeling it, you don't need to lie to yourself. You can say "I am walking towards my future self who does [XYZ] and is [XYZ]"

This will make some people laugh and I'm super proud of it. I keep a List of Victories which currently has 175 all sorts of wins I've had in life. When you build a list of 20, you may still doubt yourself. When you build a list of 50, your self-belief takes off as you've trained your brain to look for more wins, which is a good pattern to have. When you have 175 solid items from real-life experience, you've really shifted your brain's interpretation of where you are and this computing machine will start operating differently because the raw data has shifted. That's produces quite a transformation.

Seek feedback from trusted peers, mentors, or your coach on changes they've observed in your behaviour and outlook. External observations can provide valuable insights into your progress.

I’ve personally started a keep a list of my achievements open in my notes tab on my laptop. It’s some thing that helps me stay organized and at the same time helps celebrate my wins and progress.

𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝗛𝗮𝗯𝗶𝘁𝘀: Keep a calendar to check off each day you practice positive self-talk. 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻𝗰𝘆: Practice different self-talk cues consistently. 𝗦𝗽𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗰 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝗻𝘀: Create specific self-talk plans and train them to perfection. 𝗣𝗼𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗥𝗲𝗶𝗻𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗰𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁: Celebrate small victories. This can reinforce your new habits. 𝗙𝗲𝗲𝗱𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸: Seek feedback from trusted individuals about your progress. 𝗥𝗲𝗳𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: Regularly reflect on your progress and adjust your strategies as needed.

Some of the areas not included in the article are: 𝗣𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲: Changing self-talk habits takes time. Be patient with yourself. 𝗠𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗳𝘂𝗹𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀: Practice mindfulness to stay present and aware of your thoughts. 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗳𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗛𝗲𝗹𝗽: Consider seeking help from a mental health professional if negative self-talk is causing significant distress. 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵𝘆 𝗟𝗶𝗳𝗲𝘀𝘁𝘆𝗹𝗲: Regular exercise, a balanced diet, and adequate sleep can improve your mood and energy levels, supporting positive self-talk. 𝗦𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗡𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸: Surround yourself with positive influences. Friends, family, or support groups can provide encouragement and feedback.

There are various tools to measure the self-talk habit and one of those is: Journaling: Journaling is the tool which connects your innermost self with you and improves your self-talk habits.