3 Reasons To Improve Internal Dialogue
Do you know what internal dialogue is? Do you find yourself engaging in such a dialogue yourself? Today, we want to share three reasons to improve internal dialogue and tips for doing so.
Internal dialogue is a conversation that we have with ourselves unconsciously, for example, when we make a mistake and say to ourselves, for example, “now I messed up, how in the world could I not do that?” It is normal not to verbalize it, although sometimes we may do so.
The biggest problem with internal dialogue is that it tends to focus on the negative. Certainly each of us identifies ourselves with saying to ourselves phrases like, “well it went anywhere.” If we analyze our internal dialogue for even a few days, we find ourselves talking quite negatively to ourselves.
This contemptuous internal dialogue will, for a long time, continue to knock out our self-esteem. We’re not as bad as we think we are, and we’re not as awful because we did a certain thing.
Three reasons to improve internal dialogue
There are many reasons to improve internal dialogue. Often we talk to ourselves and treat ourselves very badly, and because we don’t usually verbalize it, we don’t even come to think about whether it’s how we talk to ourselves for good or evil. The truth is, it has a greater impact on us than we think.
1. Internal dialogue affects emotions
When we engage in internal dialogue, we see situations differently or make more specific decisions. This gives us confidence, reassures us, and helps us manage our emotions much better.
2. Increase self-awareness
Another reason to engage in internal dialogue is that it allows for better self-knowledge. We are able to connect with ourselves, the things that happen to us and our feelings. One could say that internal dialogue enriches us.
3. Reduces predictive anxiety
Many suffer from this affliction. Predictive anxiety arises when nothing triggering anxiety has yet occurred. Internal dialogue can help reduce this and prevent anxiety from breaking out.
How to improve internal dialogue? Tips
Now that you have all these good reasons to improve your internal dialogue, how should you get started? Some people communicate to themselves unconsciously and even use internal dialogue to their advantage. But many others, perhaps just you, need tips to take advantage of this awesome tool.
Keeping a diary
Keeping a diary is worthwhile as it is possible for everyone and only takes a few minutes a day. It also allows you to go back to what you have written and reflect on it from a perspective that may be useful to you.
Questioning internal dialogue
Another way to improve internal dialogue is to question it. To do this, you should go through what you have written in your diary and ask yourself some questions like “do I criticize myself rather than the way I act?”.
Changing the internal dialog
If you answer yes to the question of whether you are too negative and you only see the bad things that have happened, it is time to make a change. All those phrases you say to yourself can be harmful to you.
We often talk to ourselves in a negative way, and it is very important to change that. Some examples of positive phrases you can say to yourself are:
- I am just a human. I may make mistakes, but I learn from them and I get better.
- I plan to work on my resume, take a course, or submit job applications. I will definitely be hired.
While this may seem weird, it works. Our internal dialogue is strong and it is important to equip it for good use.
Most of us talk to ourselves in a way we would never talk to anyone else. So here’s the crux of the matter: we need to take care of ourselves and respect ourselves in the same way as other people.