I don’t know about you, but I’m lost without my cell phone. Although I have a global cell phone service plan, I had challenges connecting to Wi Fi and cell phone service while on a cruise ship in Europe. Up to that time I truly did not realize how much being connected meant to me. That little phone device allowed me to check in with my family, my business, check the time of day and even the weather!
When I was back home again with cell phone in hand, I started making some business calls not anticipating any problems. However, I was mistaken because the phone connection kept cutting out … the person I was speaking to could not hear me but I could hear her. I kept saying, “Can you hear me now?”
Yes, just like the phone service commercial – “Can you hear me now?”
I started to think about that phrase; “Can you hear me now?”, but no longer relating it to phone connections. I was thinking about what we say when we talk to ourselves. Our self-talk!
Recently during a coaching session with a client I asked her to do an experiment to help her to become aware of what her mind-chatter was saying. I knew most of her self-talk and thoughts were so automatic that she really did not hear them. I wanted her ‘mind messages’ to be asking her, “Can you hear me now?”
I suggested, while she attended an upcoming training session for her business that as she took notes on the topic being presented, she also write down the thoughts that popped into her mind of how she was feeling. Especially the thoughts of doubt, fear and judgment.
“It is not what you say out of your mouth that determines your life, it’s what you whisper to yourself that has the most power.” – Robert T. Kiyosaki
Those fleeting but powerful thoughts that interrupt the new messages you’re hearing. Examples of Thoughts that you might think or say: You can’t do that! They are smarter than you. I don’t fit in. I don’t have what it takes. Whatever your self-talk or mind-thoughts are they likely appear at times when you are seeking to learn more, do more or try something different.
When I met with my coaching client again to discuss this experiment, she was amazed at the amount of the limiting thoughts she had written down. She thought she hadn’t heard them before but by paying attention she gained awareness of all the on-going negative chatter that was blocking her success.
“Don’t be a VICTIM of negative self-talk … remember YOU are listening.” – Bob Proctor
Noticing what you are thinking and saying to yourself will help you to become aware of your mind-chatter and also to identify the limiting statements you may actually be speaking out-loud. Things that you possibly say when you feel you make a mistake or when you feel you come up short in your expectations of what you are doing; Example…. You’re so stupid, dumb, clumsy, slow. I don’t need this stress in my life. I should just quit. I am no good at this ______….
Over time these comments and fleeting thoughts become repetitive thoughts which lead to your self-beliefs, which leads to your behavior, which leads to the results you are getting.
- Change your thinking and change your results.
- Think a new thought and create a new outcome!
- What we think about we bring about.
- Stop the negative chatter, interrupt it and replace it with a positive statement.
Success is an inside job … change the inside and the outside will change. Look around at your life and see the reflection of your inner thoughts and self-talk because your thoughts do become things.
‘Tell the negative committee that meets in your head to sit down and BE Quiet!” – Anne Bradford
Talk to Yourself Like You Would Talk to Someone You LOVE.
