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” bavardage” IE; chat, talking, gossiping, chitchat, dialog, prattle
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That self chatter, self-talk, inner chatter, on-going self dialog, the inner voice, that which echoes in our heads.
I think everyone does it.
My Squirrel Cage equation looks like this: Negative self-talk + persistence habits = limiting self-beliefs.
We create such behaviors and the sad news is this can be self-defeating, which can result in reinforcing the very behavior which leads to more negative thoughts, and as a result creates yet more negative self-chatter. That’s the Squirrel Cage cage effect –
Round and round…here we go.
Our self-talk has a rebound effect on our moods, thoughts, emotions, behaviors & actions. So… the great news is with the realization that we humans are all intelligent beings and with great reflections and brutal honesty with ourselves we all have the ability to ‘reprogram’ our thoughts for better results. We have free will and we are continually evolving as the world keeps on turning.
Our brains are intelligent and like people friendly computers, operating systems with powerful interfaces that can help us navigate and liberate our internal world. Since our brains function 24/7 there is a constant live stream of subtle chatter feeding our emotions.
Stop and listen purposely to that inner dialogue.
What is it telling you?
With awareness beginning to identify the inner dialogue and the self-limiting chatter we might see that the negative self-chatting can actually harm emotionally. By changing instead to that which is self-affirming and positive reinforcements we can reprogram our internal dialogue.
Learning the art to separate yourself from self-defeating thoughts is life affirming. I have been practicing yoga & meditation for more years than I will ever admit to and I know the power our minds if we become mindful of where we let our thoughts take us. So with that in mind I created a list of purposeful driven actions that with practice can get me out of that negative head space of self chatter.
Out of the Bavardage of my mind.
I share my suggested thoughts as examples of what I find works for me, this does not mean it will work for everyone, but maybe it will start some thoughts on the subject.
- Awareness
- Analyze
- Determination
- Now that I have become more mindful and aware of this internal dialogue on a regular basis the next purposeful goal is to become determined to find a way to distract and stop the “tapes” from running through my thoughts. Creating a buzz word for myself has helped. I use the term “Whoa it up” but basically it is being determined to tell myself to stop the chatter, to say “NO” each time I catch myself. A more dramatic and therapeutic measure I have heard others use is to wear a rubber band on the wrist which can be snapped on the skin each time there is a discovery of negative chatter. I’ve heard the term “Stinking Thinking” The point is to find what works for you.
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Self-Affirmations
Realize that just simply trying to turn the negative inner dialogue off as it floods our thoughts is the first step to changing the negative to positive. But by just substituting the negative self-talk with something else is only a short-term fix. Our minds tend to revert right back to the original offending thought once we let go of the attempted distraction. Instead I now let the negative chatter pass through my mind without giving it any weight of importance.
Practice being at ready to affirm yourselves with positive statements of self-affirming internal dialogue.
{ Positive Self-Affirmation Examples )
And finally; to aid in bolstering these self-affirming thought
- Visualization and Focus
While stating our chosen affirmation visualize being in the exact situation or circumstances in the mind’s eye. Visualize living with integrity, see the beauty in that the you are good enough just as you are. Experience the feeling of peacefulness by imagining where that is for you. Focus on that image for a few minutes. be mindful and enjoy the feelings it causes, breathe in deeply… and exhale slowly.
Our automatic nature or our auto-pilot if you will, can make it challenging to change our negative self-chatter; but the good news is that false beliefs and cognitive distortions of our truths are learned behaviors and that very fact means we CAN learn to change our negative defeating talk. That realization for me has helped return the power of my thinking to being mindful with the results being far less of that self-defeating chatter is being discussed with my ‘Self’
To Jump start the process of positive self-affirmations included below is a borrowed list of affirmations. My hope is that one or more might resonate with you and give you a head start to developing your own personal list. Write them down and place them where you will see them often for reinforcement.
- I am Successful, Healthy and Happy.
- I am grateful to life for all that I have received till now and for all that I will be receiving in the future.
- I can do it.
- I feel good about myself and about everybody around me.
- All is well. Everything that is happening is as it is meant to be.
- The past is gone. I live only in the present.
- I love myself unconditionally and accept myself as I am.
I’ve been actively practicing “my process” long enough now to understand the power of words we say to ourselves. Be kind to your Self, understand that what you tell yourself impacts your Self.
Hi Toni!
You’re fun. I like prattlers 🙂
Have a wonderful day. It’s 6.43 am here in Melbourne Australia & my cat wants food.
Thank you Noeleen. I knew that you who I admire the hell out of would see the ‘fun’
I am delighted by your message I found today. It was the bump I needed to be reminded not to take life so serous ALL of the time.
Wishing you a Wednesday filled with smiles and the spunk of life friend. ~
Hello IdealisticRebel, I adore your blog name! Thank you so very much Barbara for the reblog and you truly touch my heart that you found a take away in this post.
I am delighted in your share here and am on my way asap to your blog to say thanks again and to follow.
I love this community because of people like you!
Tony, I echo the wows here. Learning and practising living in the moment ends up lighting up so many other wonderful sights, sounds, colours and feelings. Once that is achieved by constant thought processing life is good – and it sounds as though you have a handle on it. Yes, Life is Good. (time to write that book you have been pondering 🙂 )
Hugs always,
Your words are filled with so much support and positive energy I cannot help but both smile and tear up a little. It still amazing to me the connection we can create ‘cbyerally ( am sure this is a new word…lol..)
I am writing it Les. As of today, the first day of NANO is almost over (10pm my time 01.11.2013) and I am into my count at 1748.
Thanks so much again. my friend. 😉
Oh my lil sis, there is a radical struggle within … that once again tries to pull you into the abyss.
Somewhere along the way I discovered this wonderful gem:
I am grateful for the life I have—I am living:
Happy, Joyous and Free
Being the best I can be
Learning how to love me.
blessings ~ big sis maxi
My dearest Maxi, I adore your poem and it is right on point. Your knowing this without me needing to give you any personal detail touches my heart so deeply. I feel that connection, this bond with you so clearly.
Thank you my big sister.
Much love and abundant blessings. ~ 😉
I sent a nice young man this link and am sending you his.
http://lizardomd.com/2013/10/31/think-differently/
Thank YOU so much Tess. I visited his blog and got so wrapped up in it I forgot I had not thanked you. It is very wonderful I think that we all have such similar thoughts about life and yet find so many different ways of expressing those thoughts. I loved what this blogger said.
And I love that you are not giving up on my blog despite my lack of attention,
You are a great kind of A.W.E.S.O.M.E. ~
Shucks, I didn’t do anything, BB.
I try to keep up, but can’t always. 🙂
We are definitely kindred spirits. In my desire to break that damn chipmunk wheel, I have developed the same tools that you have. I’m finding this is a lifelong ‘battle’ though but maybe that’s part of the journey of self-awareness. What a great post.
It just makes smile knowing it’s true that so often we mirror one another, including the struggle to stop the chipmunk cage effect.
I do believe self-awareness is a big piece of the puzzle, deciphering what it all means, respectively.
I am most grateful for the women in my life like you who can relate and are willing to share that with me.
Thank you Joss. ~
Wow, what a post!!!!!Have you read The Secret? I love your affirmations!! Thank you for sharing it with me.
Thank you dear Tersia. Your words are a gift to me the way they always lift me. Yes I read the secret several years ago, I love it as you can probably know from even just our blogs. From my own experiences I know that there is is great deal of credibility behind the philosophy.
So wonderful of you to share with me here my friend ~