LISTEN TO YOUR OWN SELF-TALK - PART II

On my last post I had promised you to continue with this subject, “Self-Talk”. As I have mentioned before, this is one of the biggest challenges people struggle with.

This time I want to focus on one of many ways of influence we are exposed to, “Media-Talk”. Some times I asked myself; self, why most people only focus on negative things? Well, when I see how much time people spend watching TV, listening radio news and reading the daily newspaper, I can’t help myself, but to say, that the main reason for all those negatives thoughts, focus and talks is how little people are aware of the influence of the “Media-Talk.”

Here is your assignment for the next seven days. Are you ready? Listen to what I call “media-Talk”. That’s the programming you are receiving from radio, television, the daily newspaper, magazines, etc. You will also hear and edited, and usually subjective, version of Media-talk when you listen to the self-talk of other people around you.

The important thing to remember while you are observing and collecting examples of Media-talk is how you respond to the Media-Talk programming you are receiving. Have you ever bought the brand of drink you saw advertised the most on TV?

The reason for this step is to acquaint you with something called “external influence.” We all know what it means, but we seldom sit down and think about the effect it has in our lives. Have you ever considered how many things you do because you felt obliged to do them?

The more aware you become of all of the persuasions and conditioning which go on in your life, the easier it will be for you to recognize them for what they are and do something about them. It is a healthy idea to stop now and then and ask yourself the question. “who’s in control here?” Once aware of how programming works and where it comes from, who do you suppose is responsible for what is programmed into your mind? You are, of course.

Once you are aware of the self-talk around you, both from others and from yourself, it is only natural that you might want to take personal control over the self-talk in your future. The next step is to begin creating Self-Talk for yourself.

LISTEN TO YOUR OWN SELF-TALK

The biggest challenge I find with people I coach, agents, home buyers, home sellers, business people, etc., is the self-talk habit. The transition going from bad self-talk to a good self-talk is very challenging for most of them. The self-talk has been conditioned by their environment, relatives, all kind of media – TV, news, etc., and as you can see most of the time it is all negative. So this week I am giving you a short but powerful exercise to help you improve your self-talk.

First, listen to your own self-talk. For the next forty-eight hours, listen to every word of self-talk that you say to yourself. Bad, good, or otherwise, listen to every word you say out loud or silently to yourself or about yourself. Consciously listen to every thought you think to yourself.

1- Listen for both kind of self-talk, negative and positive

2- Listen to the way you respond to problems and the way you react to opportunities

3- Listen to what you say when you talk to yourself

4- Listen to the “self-speak” of others especially the self-talk of your own family members, your close friends, etc.

The next step takes a little work, but if you spend even twenty or thirty minutes doing it, it should prove to be revealing to you.

Next, write down in a sheet of paper, the ten most significant negative self-talk suggestions that you give yourself most often. Remember, these are “negative” self-talk – phrases like, “I can’t…”, “Nothing seems to go right,” or “It is just not my day.”

On my next post I will continue with this subject, “Self-Talk”. As I have mentioned before, this is one of the biggest challenges people struggle with.

IMAGINATION AND SELF-CONFIDENCE

I see people struggling in their personal, business, and spiritual life. They find themselves trapped and seems like they have no way out. They get to the point of thinking that it is too late or rather they feel like they have no time to start a new path in life. In other words, they rather keep the struggle rather than taking the time to think on what is not working or look for help.

Let me share with you a very important principle that can be apply to the personal, business and spiritual life; “Imagination”. You will see how important is the subject of imagination when you stop to realize that it is the only thing in the world over which you have absolute control.

You will never have a definite purpose in life, you will never have self-confidence, and you will never have initiative and leadership unless you first create these qualities in your imagination and see yourself in possession of them. Imagination requires faith and beliefs.

I like to bring this passage from the Bible, St. Mark 5, 27-29: “She had heard the reports about Jesus, and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his garment. For she said, "If I touch even his garments, I shall be made well."  And immediately the hemorrhage ceased; and she felt in her body that she was healed of her disease.” 

This woman had clear in her imagination what she wanted; she had a lot of self-confidence. She took the steps and was healed.

Imagination and Self-confidence are one of the most important factors entering into the great struggle for success.