Get the Support You Need

Learn from thousands of users who have made their way through our courses. Need help getting started? Watch this short video.

today's top discussions:

logo

11 years and counting

Timbo637

2024-10-31 6:49 AM

Quit Smoking Community

logo

Feels like hell week all over!!

Timbo637

2024-10-30 9:38 AM

Quit Smoking Community

logo

Roller Coaster Withdrawal

Timbo637

2024-10-14 12:28 PM

Quit Smoking Community

logo

Smile....and don't shoot the messenger

Timbo637

2024-09-27 3:17 PM

Quit Smoking Community

This Month’s Leaders:

Most Supportive

Most Loved

Browse through 411.768 posts in 47.066 threads.

161,302 Members

Please welcome our newest members: Geraldine, Snootz, Poul Ilsøe, Trina J Kriya, SG1501

Positive Self Talk experiences


17 years ago 0 8760 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
Radha, That's a great start! Danielle _____________________ The PC Support Team
17 years ago 0 44 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
Thanks Danielle, I guess I could begin acknowledging more and more of the daily little successes as I can see it is a great confidence booster and gives us a sense of accomplishment. I think for me, small successess don't even have to be 100% perfectly executed. I have to be kind to myself and accept any attempt as a success, if you know what I mean. I think I am going to write down daily for maybe a week or so a LIST. One the one side, all the little positive experiences during the day and the other side all the little successes and then perhaps if I have any energy when relaxed, dwell on these so they sink in my brain a bit!! Radha :)
17 years ago 0 8760 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
Radha, You've received some great advice from your fellow members. Use positive self-talk in the way in works best for you. It may seem artificial at times but it may just be because you're not use to using this type of coping strategy. It's great that you don't dwell on negative experiences but also don't forget to acknowledge the small progress you've made either. It's those small victories that get us to bigger successes. Danielle _____________________ The PC Support Team
17 years ago 0 44 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
Thank you for your responses Moochela and Diva. I guess I can at this stage relate to Diva as I tend to use the positive self talk after doing a difficult thing, so it could be say a task, an exam and even an exposure theraphy event. So say I do this event with no hiccups, I rarely congratulate myself for doing a task well done. I almost take it for granted that the event shoud have gone well and I think in that I am being hard on myself self. But on the other hand if the task does not go well, I do not use positive self-talk as I find it artificial, and this is what I wanted to know, does it help using positive self talk when things don't go well though it may seem artificial. Diva I think you have mentioned it does at times. I used to in the past recall frequently any failed experiences in my mind, so a task not well done. So I gathered in the last few weeks that by doing so, I think my brain hasn't got enough memory of successful outcomes, but tons of negative experiences. As the positive self -talk at times seems artificial at times , I am learning to let go immediately a negative experience and look for more successful outcomes daily or experiences and think about it during that day with the hope that my mind will hopefully have more positive experiences to anchor on. I've been using this for the last 2 weeks and I have found it to be useful. I just tell myself , I have no time for these not so helpful experiences. ( I tend not to use the term bad as that term is a negative, if you know what I mean) . If anyone has done this, has it improved their outlook in life and reduced anxiety in the long-term?? I really believe this can work, since our brains are like computers, if we feed it garbage, anxiety provoking situations, negative experiences, it will only be able to recall what we feed. Thank you Moochela and Diva for comments earlier and have a good day. :)
17 years ago 0 2101 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
Hmm i find like Radha that for me positive self-talk, i use it mostly after the events. To tell myself how well i did and how good i am lol. At first it really made me feel super ridiculous. And because of my low self esteem, my therapist has me doing positive self-talk not just after tough events but all through the day lol. I tell yu at first i was embarrassed in front of myself lol It felt fake and ridiculous. But the more it goes and the more I do this , the more I seem to be beleiving myself and it does make me feel a bit better a bout myself. When i get off track and start thinking negatively about myself or telling myself outcomes are not positive or as positive as i wanted. I use thought challenging techniques on those thoughts and do even more positive self-talk. But i find when you are slipping, challenging the negative thoughts really helps in beleiving the positive ones more. Anyway, i hope this helps. But yes positive self-talk can seem silly and artificial at first, and altho i cannot say i am completely at ease with it, i am getting better at it :) Hope this helps! -Diva
17 years ago 0 54 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
I think I know what you mean - it is like you have to try really hard to actually enjoy something, to be able to engage as the anxiety otherwise takes over the experience. Positive self talk does work sometimes but not always, I find! Sometimes I think that not focussing so much on this actually works better. For example if I go to a music concert I feel anxious as I do not like crowds. If I spend most of the time thinking about not feeling anxious it is like I am creating this cycle in my mind. What I found can help is to tell myself "f*** it, I am here and am going to enjoy it" and leave it at that. In other words do not give it any attention or credit, like a child having a tamtrum! Not sure if this helps..... :quest:
17 years ago 0 44 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
Hi all, Just was wondering, when doing something anxiety provoking be it a small or big thing and say then the outcome of that experience is not say entirely satisfactory. Then let's say we use positive self talk, does it seem artificial at first but then gets better as we are possibly reinforcing a new habit ie positive self talk. I think personally I have seen positive changes in some situations with the positive self talk but I am skeptical about some situations. So I am hoping some members can share with me how positive self talk has helped them despite being skeptical at first that it would work as it may have seemed artificial. And secondly, say one has been doing quite well with the self talk with a situation but some relapse occured and how they got back on track. Any comments would be greatly appreciated. Thanks, Radha :)

Reading this thread: