The Healing Power Of Positive Self-Talk

Most people indulge more in negative self-talk, than positive. But self-talk is not supposed to be negative and overly critical. We are supposed to use it to encourage, empower and motivate ourselves to achieve success and follow our dreams.

Our brain has the conscious mind, the subconscious mind, and what is known in hypnosis as the critical factor of mind. This critical factor is that part of our consciousness that checks and filters every through and idea that enters our mind. It is like the gatekeeper or the guardian between the conscious mind and the subconscious. That is how hypnosis works – it is a way to bypass the critical factor so that we can access the subconscious and reprogram it with new information and insights for healing and self-empowerment.

The role of the critical factor is to protect our mind, but this is not always a good thing. Because of the job the critical mind is tasked to do, it tends to be critical of everything. It is unfortunately also that part of our brain that says we are not worthy or deserving, that we cannot do things, or achieve things.

I cannot get the job I really want.

I’m not worthy of a happy, healthy relationship.

I am not smart and pretty enough.

People just don’t like me.

Why do bad things always happen to me?

The one big problem with the critical factor is that it does not always see or hear things the way they really are. It can convince of things that are not true at all. For example, it may you that others are trying to get you fired from a job, when in fact the boss is trying to help you keep your job.

Turn down the volume of your negative inner voice and create a nurturing inner voice to take its place ~ Beverly Engel

One example of negative self-talk I see a lot as a hypnotherapist is around test anxiety. If you keep telling yourself you do not have a chance of passing any test, you probably will not pass. It’s a self-fulfilling prophecy. If you take a test with a positive attitude telling yourself that you are smart, have studied hard, and know the work, then your subconscious mind will remember these thoughts and most likely you will pass the test!

In relationships the most challenging thoughts are often when we struggle to believe our partner truly loves us. When a person feels this way, they usually find a way to sabotage the relationship themselves. The destructive process typically starts with self-talk that creates doubt.

How can this relationship work for me? No relationship has ever worked in the past. What would ever make me think this one will be different. Why would anyone want to love me anyway? I’m not smart enough, attractive enough, fun enough for anyone to love me.

When people ask me for a relationship reading, they typically just hope to hear that things will be good, and great, and all will be perfect once they have found ‘the one.’ But that is not what authentic psychic reading is about. Reputable readers are honest and truthful about the information they are receiving – even when it is not what the client was hoping to hear.

Fortunately, most of my clients are open to hearing the truth. Many of them usually say something like, “I already knew that.” Reliable readings often provide us with confirmation and affirmation of things we already know or have decided, but we are still doubting ourselves because of the negative self-talk of our inner critic.

Your mind, emotions, and body are instruments and the way you align and tune them determines how well you play life ~ Harbhajan Singh Yogi

Monitor your self-talk. If you find it to be constantly negative and self-sabotaging, it may be time to take serious action and begin to cultivate a new habit of positive self-talk. It is important to speak kindly to yourself, because the subconscious mind remembers everything you tell it. A good way to start is to replace your negative self-talk with positive affirmations. A favorite affirmation I use is:

I’m getting better and better every day. I am okay, I am okay.

Years ago, I had to have a surgery. As a fairly new hypnotherapist, I decided to make a positive self-talk recording of my own voice, to use in the hospital before and after the surgery. In the recording I told myself that I would wake up from the anesthesia feeling just great, that I will not need pain medication and that I will heal perfectly and in a timely manner. And it worked like a charm!

After the surgery, I was on my way home in less than three hours. I even stopped along the way to eat a sandwich, while many people cannot eat for hours, even days after anesthesia. And I was back to work in just four days. I am convinced it was all due to hearing my own voice reassuring me with positive self-talk.