Are you a victim of negative self-talk? Do these sound familiar?
We’ll see how long it lasts this time. You know you can’t do it because you’ve tried before, and it didn’t work. Don’t waste your time. What good does working out do? You’ll never change. You’re not “that bad.” Exercise is for jocks, athletes, and models. Those days are behind you. You have too far to go, and you’ll never get there. You have work to do. You’ve got no time for this. The boss is waiting for you to get this done. Your family needs you to get this done. There’ll be time for you later. You can start tomorrow. You can start Monday. You can start in January.
Maybe you’ve heard these words in your head. Maybe you’ve even said them out loud. If you’re tired of these negative thoughts calling the shots, then read on.
Learn from your negative self-talk.
Where has it gotten you? Does it make you feel strong? Does it make you feel good? Does it make you feel successful? Ask the negative voice in your head, “What have you done for me lately?” What has it done for you, ever? Words can derail even the best of us, but do we need to listen to negative voices that put shame, doubt and fear into our heads? What if we decided that we wanted something new in the new year? What if we choose positive self-talk this year?
Let’s kick the “I can’t” to the curb, and make room for the “I can.”
Change the channel.
We have a choice. We can listen to the negative voices in us (or around us) and get lost in our complaints. Or we can change the channel and turn it off. The same switch that turns something on can turn something off.
Your past doesn’t dictate your future.
Your future can look different than your past, but it starts with your thoughts. By telling yourself excuses that can keep you in bed an extra 30 minutes, you won’t have time for 150 minutes a week of fitness that science has proven can make a huge impact on your physical and mental health.
But you can do anything by changing that voice in your head. Tell yourself, “I can do anything for 30 minutes!” And “I am grateful for my body, and I plan to keep it strong and well for as long as it is in my power.”
Tell yourself what you want and tell yourself you are going to get it!
Tell yourself to get busy and build the future you desire. Grow up, wise up, and rise up. Show up and get out of your own way. Most importantly, remember that you matter, you’re valuable, and you’re worth the time it takes to care of yourself. Your needs are important and your health is a priority.
Tell yourself that taking a 30-minute lunch break won’t keep you from making your deadline. In fact, it will give you a fresh perspective when you return to your desk. Trade that extra 30 minutes in bed for time on the treadmill or elliptical. You’ll boost the mental and physical energy needed to knock that proposal out of the park! The negative thoughts in our heads must change. There’s too much good that can come from this kind of change! You know it. You just have to convince your mind. And when you change your mind, you change your life.
Yes, it’s hard, but choose your hard!
Working out daily is hard but living on medications or suffering from a preventable disease is hard too. Choose your hard. Getting started is always the most difficult, for anyone. Habits are hard to break. And it’s pretty easy to fall back into old patterns. After all, they’re old and well-established.
So, they may put up a fight until they’re replaced with positive new patterns that will also become well-established! Your past is in the past, and today is a new day. Try this:
First Stop Health is here to support your mental health. If your employer provides you with access to virtual counseling, our counselors can provide short-term, solution-focused guidance to help you through the holiday season.