It would be nice if everyone out there was ready to give you a pat on the back when you need it. But sometimes even the best friends are too busy with their own problems to realise when a word of encouragement would really help.
That’s ok though – because you know who is always around? YOU! And it’s surprisingly easy and effective to become your own encourager.
The secret is to move beyond just thinking positive things (which is great!) to verbalising those things throughout the day (which is even better!).
Yes, that means talking out loud. To yourself. Like a crazy person. But hey, who first decided that was crazy anyway?
Speaking out loud brings clarity. It gives a sense of purpose to your words, taking them beyond the ‘invisible’ world of thought into an audible reality. I personally love motivating myself during the day. I’ll celebrate out loud when something goes well (Oh awesome! This is so exciting!) and I’ll tell myself it’s ok when things aren’t so smooth (It’s ok – ‘this too shall pass’. The day is bound to get better! You’ve got this.).
I’ve found that with practice, I can shift my own mood in a matter of seconds. Whereas previously I might have stayed trapped in a bad thought spiral of worrying about worrying, now I can snap that with just one spoken phrase.
So it might seem weird. And yes, people may look at you a little funny if they happen to be passing by while you’re having a self-pep-talk, but I figure – if it works who cares!
There’s no need to wait around feeling glum, hoping someone will come along and stay something nice to you. Do it yourself! Use your words to create your attitude. See it as the path to sanity.
Be a Self-Encourager
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