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We all tend to do it and, although it is common to feel strange while it is happening, health experts agree that talking to yourself can have many benefits.
This practice is officially known as “inner dialogue” and can help us organize thoughts, reduce feelings of stress, and even increase confidence.
Benefits of talking to yourself: what experts say
Cleveland Clinic psychologist Grace Tworek, PsyD, explains in an article from the institution that talking to yourself is “a useful way to check in with yourself and organize thoughts and feelings”.
Among the possible benefits she highlights of this practice are:
- Encouraging critical thinking: for example, by asking yourself questions about how to solve a situation. For the expert, this allows you to make a plan and sustain it in the future.
- Helping concentration: the example she gives is “pay attention to the deer on this street”.
- Regulating emotions: when we tell ourselves that everything is going to be okay
- Motivation: encouraging yourself can increase confidence. In fact, the psychologist notes that there is evidence that athletes can improve their performance thanks to inner dialogue.
- Personal check-in: for example, telling yourself that it is time to take a break from an activity for our own good.
In the same vein, an article published by Harvard University recommends speaking to yourself “as you would to a friend” when negative thoughts become overwhelming: “Positive self-talk can be motivating and reassuring, and keeping it up can drown out the negative filter in your head, easing your anxiety”.
Speak out loud or just think it?
Although both options have their benefits, Tworek explains that speaking out loud -as long as you are aware that it is happening with yourself- is completely normal and even externalizing ideas can be beneficial.
According to the expert, speaking out loud is only concerning when the person believes they are talking to another person who does not actually exist.
How they recommend doing it
One of the key points is always to maintain a positive dialogue and, in any situation, highlight your own strengths rather than your negative traits.
Another piece of advice from Tworek is to use our own name while we keep the conversation going. It is one of the simplest ways to create distance and process ideas.
When it is used to put an end to negative thoughts, affirmations can also help. Harvard recommends:
- I can get through this
- I am safe and in control
- This feeling is only temporary
- My best is enough
- I can get through this difficult moment
- I can handle whatever happens
As long as it is in the proper context, breaking down everyday situations with yourself can then be an easy tool to implement to stay calm and face different challenges in the best possible way.