Lifestyle & wellbeing : Listen to yourself

Did you know that as much as 80 per cent of the things we say to ourselves are negative? Back in the 1980s a study into the complexities and trends to do with self-talk was conducted, and it turned out some very interesting and useful findings.

The Reader’s Digest reports how internal dialogue is a very complex and interesting part of being human and how it varies from person to person. For some, “it is like an incessant running commentary in their heads, while for others it’s the odd comment here and there. What is for sure is that our internal dialogue can be both a wise advisor and a very hurtful critic.”

Start paying attention to exactly what your brain says to you during your inner monologue, and rather than linger on the specifics, consider the trends that come up. You may find it helpful to keep a diary and make simple notes about the recurrent themes you notice in the words you say to yourself. Once you start to notice the root of the problem, you can look towards fixing it.