alt text Self-Talk

Here are some thoughts I’ve had, notes I’ve made along with information I’ve collected regarding negative self-talk. The stressful internal dialogue that attacks the image of oneself which can result in low self-esteem and depression if one is overwhelmed by it.

Keys

Protagonist - The leading character, hero.
Antagonize - To goad into getting angry.
Antagonist - One opposed to; opponent, adversary.
The character who provokes the main character to act.

Ego - One’s image of oneself, self-esteem or self-image
Critic - faultfinder
    Your criticism wounded his ego.

Purpose

The antagonist in you shows up for a reason. It is there to motivate you into action.

These negative thoughts and sensations are nothing more than little warnings from your Ego telling you that the faultfinder in you has recognized you’re self-image is at risk of being false.

In other words; As you drift off center, get off balance and/or out of character it begins correcting your current incorrect perspective that everything is fine. It uses what tools it has at the time to communicate, (usually thoughts of the last questionable thing that happened in your life where doubt has an avenue into), to get your attention and let you know you need to do something.

Cause

Body

What you do with your body impinges on your mental faculties.
Your negative self-talk could simply be due to a physical issue at the time.

  • Not eating for extended periods can result in the body tearing itself down. The self-talk can mimick this by tearing you (your self/self-image) down.

Structured healthy eating can go a long way to achieving balance and give you the steady stream of energy needed to rise above.

  • Sometimes the food you eat is not right for you and can lead to inflamation. This irritation in your insides can not only put you in a bad mood and influence you out of character, but could do damage especially if it’s from an alergy. This tearing down of your insides can get communicated in a similar negative self-talk fashion.

Cell production is high when your young. Tolerance of foods you didn’t realize you were alergic to can change/decrease as you get older.
Eliminating a specific food for a while can help pinpoint an alergic response.

Mind

  Internal

  Insecurities - We dont like to hear about our insecurites, but everyone has some.

  • The comparison game

All too often people compare themnselves with others and believe they don’t measure up. They start the downward spiral of focusing on every different detail in a negative light.

Don’t get sucked into comparing yourself with anyone else. Are they truly the role model of perfection? .. No. They have flaws too. Understand and accept your own. Focus on becoming better than you were yesterday.

  • Not being true to yourself, living someone elses view of your life.
When I look around I always learn something, and that is to be yourself always, express yourself, and have faith in yourself. Do not go out and look for a successful personality and duplicate him. Now that seems to be the prevalent thing happening in Hong Kong, like they always copy mannerism, but they never start from the root of his being and that is, how can I be me?

Bruce Lee
  • dependence on someone else for your own identity
    • how they make you feel
    • hanging on every word
    • insecurity when they are not around and worrying over what they are up to

    Recognize it.
    Are you just feeding your comfort?
    It’s important to have/be ‘your own’ heater to keep yourself warm.
    (It’s your job not someone elses) *self-worth

  External

  Everyones connected.

  • Some neighborhoods ‘bring you down’, ‘circle the drain’

We all can get into a rythm with each other. This can be for better or worse. As a team of hope and productivity we accomplish great things. As an angry mob or road rage we can be swept away and become destructive to ourselves and others.
It’s important to pause for a minute and reflect on what is being felt or thought and determine if it is a result of outside influence.

  • Sitting still and unproductive

Life is movement. Everything moves. If you don’t move, you are no longer real.

The reason you feel stuck, blocked, depressed, is because you are not moving.
Your best option — your required option — is to move forward with force — a fluid, calm boldness.

    Flowing water does not get stale. Be like water my friend - Bruce Lee

Action is a high road to self-confidence and esteem. Where it is open, all energies flow toward it.

    The maintenance of self-esteem is a continuous task that taxes all of the individual’s power and inner resources. We have to prove our worth and justify our existence anew each day. - Bruce Lee

Change

The first step in changing “negative self-talk” is simply becoming more aware of it as it happens.
This is, in essence, the practice of mindfulness.

Changing the self-talk is necessary to become our most authentic, balanced selves.

:warning: Telling oneself to “JUST STOP!” (thought stopping) is one of many tools in your tool box, however….

Too often you engage with the darkness thinking it will help. You ruminate on your problems. You take it all and yourself so seriously. You inject dark into dark. And it never helps, because it makes it worse.

    Do not allow negative thoughts to enter your mind for they are the weeds that strangle confidence. - Bruce Lee

Use the energy you previously reserved for fighting the darkness and blast it with light instead.
Through boldly creating, moving and doing positive things you defy the darkness that paralysed you before.

Solutions

The physical training part of the movies showing the person getting ready to be the hero, etc. is about the person developing and solidifying the internal routines / the mechanisms necessary to retain the positivity of self so they can rise above and defeat the negative when confronted by it.