Insights

Self-talk and Mental Health

In the book The Confident Mind, Dr. Nate Zinsser, the director of the Performance Psychology Program at West Point, talks about the importance of what we say to ourselves. He works with their cadets and athletes and stresses that an athlete’s self-talk determines his resilience and performance. What you say to yourself matters!

Self-talk is the inner dialogue you have with yourself. It is the inner whisper. What do you say to yourself? Do you say, “I better not mess this up.” or “I am not a good speaker and I can’t give a speech.” “I have such anxiety!”  By listening to the inner negative dialogue, you create a self-fulfilling prophecy. Your brain can’t distinguish between the inner dialogue and the received communication from others. Don’t be your own worst enemy. First, take inventory of your inner dialogue. Then Zinsser recommends replacing it with a present, powerful, precise, and positive thinking statement. An example, instead of saying, "I am not good at organizing”, you would say, “I organize myself so that I use my time wisely”.  I like to replace my negative self-talk with scripture and to align my thoughts with the mind of Christ through prayer. I see it as aligning with how God sees me and believing in what God can do through me.

Physical Benefits of Positive Self-Talk

    The benefits of positive self-talk are improved mental health and resilience. Scientists have even correlated positive self-talk to neuroplasticity of the brain. “When you think happy or optimistic thoughts, the brain produces serotonin, creating a feeling of calm, focus, and well-being. Positive emotions such as joy can also activate the prefrontal cortex, reduce levels of the stress hormone cortisol, and make it easier to reflect and become aware of your thought processes. Research has shown that this activation may stimulate creative thinking, problem-solving, and mental productivity. Conversely, when you experience negative thoughts, it may hinder creativity, impede problem-solving, and slow down thought processing.”(Penn LPS, 2023)

Active ways that you can have better self-talk

Meditate on God’s word
Keep a gratitude journal
Recite affirmations or mantras.
Zinsser recommends creating affirmations that turn the negative thoughts to positive ones.

Imagine how powerful reciting positive self-talk and truth can be while we seek excellence in the story God is writing. God is writing an excellent story!

Leah Rabb
Elementary Education Principal
Logos Preparatory Academy