Your Self-Talk: What it is & Why it matters

Confession time. I have serious issues with my skin. 

On my mother’s side of the family we have a history of hormonal imbalances & acne. So I’ve struggled with skin issues my whole life. It doesn’t matter how much I’m working out, eating clean or how much quality sleep I get each night… acne always has a way of taking up residence on my face no matter what I do. 

When I look into the mirror - it’s often the first thing I see. And if I’m having a bad day - it’s easy to criticize myself. How can I promote health & wellbeing if I can’t even get my skin under control…?

Do you ever beat yourself up like this too? 

It takes conscious effort to remind myself how much I care for my body. How well I treat it. How I’m taking the supplementation to heal my gut & working with naturopaths, functional medicine practitioners, and dermatologists to work towards clearer skin. 

But at the end of the day - it doesn’t matter if I have a breakout or two or five at any given time… because my skin doesn’t define me.

Today I want to discuss the most important element of self-care. 

It’s the relationship you’ve got with yourself. 

Listen, you’re always going to be in your own company, so isn’t it time you were a little kinder to yourself? 

“No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.” - Eleanor Roosevelt

Let’s speak candidly about your inner monologue. It’s the commentary running in your head throughout the day & permeating your conscious thoughts in everything you do.

Whether you realize it or not, this self-talk can determine how your day goes, the choices you make (healthy or otherwise), how you interact with others or even the direction you head in work.

The way you speak to yourself will determine how you expect to be treated in this world.

Whether you are verbally encouraging & see yourself as this bright, beautiful light; or in contrast, you harp on yourself for every little mistake or misstep you make. All of it is up to you!

They say you can’t always control what happens in life, but you certainly can control the way you respond to any situation. And you control what language is happening up in that pretty little dome of yours.

Improving your self-talk takes a conscious effort & it’s not easy to continually shift your verbiage to be more positive. Especially when you’ve been talking down to yourself for so long.

Now is as good a time as any to start being aware of how you treat yourself & whether you allow yourself to say only good things - about your body, about your abilities, about your accomplishments - whatever it is, turn those thoughts around!

Over time we’ve built up this expectation to denigrate ourselves publicly or be “humble” in the way we express ourselves so as not to be seen as egotistical. 

Let. This. Go.

You are a badass.

Your body is beautiful.

You are confident, capable, & beyond amazing in more ways than you know!

Own it. Love it. Express it.

And if you’re not sure how, here’s some helpful tactics to try:

• Think… Would you say it to someone you love?!
• Consider each statement you make to yourself in your mind or out loud. Consider the language you use, & the thoughts about yourself running throughout the day.
• Would you say that same sentiment to your mother? Your sister? A best friend?
• Would you tell your daughter that she is incompetent or unattractive in the same ways you see or speak to yourself?
• Even more, would you want any of these loved ones to speak to themselves that way?! If not, then it needs to go!
• Start noticing when these thoughts come about. Chances are they happen all day without you knowing.
• When you can, write them down. At the end of the day - change each thought into a positive one & write it next to the negative thought with a different colored pen - then say it out loud.
• Don’t chastise yourself for having a negative thought (that’s what we’re working against) but notice it, shift it & move on with your day!
• And finally, start a gratitude practice! Learn why & how to get started here.

The words we utter, the thoughts we have, the emotions we cultivate - it's all up to you.

What will you decide?