By Stephen Propst
To stay on track with wellness and boost my mood, I stay away from damaging negative self-talk and have positive conversations with myself instead.
If you see me walking, driving, or even just standing around, you may notice that I’m talking to myself. This practice might seem peculiar, but I assure you that it has its rewards.
We all know (I hope!) that negative self-talk is destructive and can derail a person from staying on track with wellness, so that’s not the focus here. Instead, I want to talk about positive conversational topics. Here are six that work for me.
#1 Control
Just getting through the day can be more than a day’s work. Seemingly simple tasks I used to take for granted can now seem overwhelming. Audibly acknowledging this reality, along with possible solutions, really helps me.
Not long ago, I had a ton on my plate. Instead of getting frustrated, I decided to go for a walk, talk things through with myself, and come up with plan for handling everything. Adding structure to chaos affords me a greater sense of control.
#2 Calm
Keeping my triggers at bay is a never-ending undertaking. Before stress takes its toll, I sometimes speak to myself and purposely use words to help paint a healthier picture.
I was once standing in a checkout lane that wasn’t moving; I was growing more anxious by the minute. I started talking to myself, albeit softly, to calm down: Be patient; take time to relax. The wait won’t be as long as I think. And it wasn’t!
#3 Challenge
Many days, just getting out of bed seems impossible. Time after time, I find myself tossing and turning for what can seem like forever. Fortunately, I’ve found that moving my mouth helps me move my body.
I literally challenge myself to get up and going by a specific time. Next, I go over what I will then do to keep going. Hearing myself, especially the positive affirmations, helps me set reasonable expectations for the day.
#4 Collaborate
I once thought I could battle bipolar alone. I was wrong! Collaborating with various psychiatrists and therapists over the years has been critical to maintaining my wellness.
I’ve learned that my appointments go best when I verbalize a plan beforehand. Recently, while driving to meet with my psychiatrist, I prepared by saying to myself: I need to discuss why I’ve been significantly more depressed lately. I will ask my doctor for ideas on what changes I might make to better manage my mood. (Don’t laugh—for me, it makes a difference when I take time to talk things through and prepare my mind for positive results.)
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https://www.bphope.com/talking-to-myself-bipolar-mood-management-positi…