Confession: I Talk to Myself A LOT to Stay on Track

Do you engage in a lot of internal self-talk? I often think that if people could monitor my inner dialogue they would probably lock me up and throw away the key.

I talk to myself A LOT.

Please, tell me I’m not alone here!

I’m pretty sure that I’m not alone when it comes to the challenges of inner chatter (Do you remember the television show Herman’s Head? There’s a video clip at the bottom of the post if you’re curious.) but am always comforted to learn that I’m not as crazy as I sometimes feel.

As we all know, the wrong kind of self-talk, where you are constantly beating yourself up, can can be debilitating.

But me thinks that the right kind of self-talk can be very helpful. (That’s what I tell myself anyway!)

Yoga introduced me to the concept of mantras, words or phrases that you can use to keep your thoughts from spinning out of control and that can be used to pull you back into the here and now. You will often find me saying, “This too shall pass” or reciting the serenity prayer.

I’m also a big fan of affirmations. For decades I wrote and repeated, “I’m easily and effortlessly maintaining my ideal weight”, until one day it dawned on me that it had become my new reality!

As a person with a long history of eating too much to cope with anxiety and comfort herself, I still find it helpful to engage in self-talk when presented with eating challenges.  Here are some of the things that I often say to myself to keep me on track:

• “Are you still hungry?”
• “Are you full?”
• “Have you had enough?”
• “Step away from the refrigerator right now.”
• “Put the cookie down.”
• “How will you feel after your eat this?”
• “If you are going to eat, put it on a plate and take a seat.”
• “This isn’t your last meal; You’ll eat again soon.”
• “It’s okay to feel a little hungry.”
• “You can eat again as soon as you’re hungry.”
• “You can have ice cream after dinner if you still want it.”
• “Is that what you really want?”
• “Is that what you really need?”
• “Are you hungry or just bored?”
• “Does that taste good?”
• “Is this worth the calories?”
• “Slow down, breathe, and chew.”
• “You deserve delicious, high quality food.”
• “Remember to put down your fork between bites.”
• “Nothing tastes as good as being slim feels.”
• “The first taste is the best.”
• “Is this the best choice for you right now?”
• “What would be a better choice?”
• “Trust yourself.”
• “One bite tastes just like the rest.”
• “You can have whatever you want, just not all today.”
• “Tomorrow is another day.”
• “Slow down and savor it.”
• “If it doesn’t taste good, don’t eat it.”
• “Remember to stop when you’re no longer hungry.”
• “It’s okay to throw it away.”
• “Order the small size.”
• “You deserve to enjoy your food.”
• “Make every bite count.”
• “You can have the ________now if you’re willing to skip __________later.”

So, there you have it. A peak inside my head, into the thoughts that help me stay in balance. I hope it hasn’t scared you!

What kinds of things do you say to yourself to help you stick with your goals?

 

Here’s a fun introduction to the chaotic, crowded world of Herman’s Head:

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