The power of speaking to yourself in the same way you would speak to a friend

Imagine you’ve just had to make a presentation at work, for the first few minutes (which to you felt like hours) you had a complete blank, went red and said nothing, either you had to stop and try again another day or you carried on - either way it doesn’t matter because you did your best at the time. 

Now I want for you to imagine if you were sat watching a friend and this had happened to them. What would you want to say to them? Would you want to reassure them that they were brave and had the courage to step up and try and do the presentation, and they survived and that has proved that they can try again and maybe it will feel a little easier next time? Would you want to give them a hug and show that they are loved, no matter what?

Is this the reaction you gave to yourself? 

Sadly for many of us, the way that we speak to ourselves is not full of the bundles of kindness, compassion, and love that we so easily and automatically would give a friend.  

But if we can notice this, we can try our best to change it, and it is possible to change it! saying this it’s not easy, our brain could have built up super fast connections after years of negative self talk, but these connections can change. 

Every day try to notice how you speak to yourself and fill that inner voice with bundles of kindness, compassion and love.

Give yourself that big hug you would give to a friend.

Sending you kindness, 

Rachel