Leadership lessons: Is it normal to talk to yourself?

Personal commentaries have the potential to change your outlook on life; Image: Shutterstock

How does it feel when you wake up and find yourself amidst raging thoughts and emotions?

How does it feel when you want to say so many things to yourself, not to everyone?

There are times when you want to express your raw emotions, and times when you want to filter your thoughts through self-consultation.

A healthy mind requires a proper churning of inner thoughts. Here's an important question: Is it normal to talk to yourself?

Talking to yourself is a sign of sanity. You deserve your attention. Nobody understands better than yourself.

Water your inner garden

Gift yourself kindness. Never disturb the harmony of your inner garden—a sacred space where outsiders need your permission. Weed out wild thoughts. Water the seeds of inner confusion with compassion. Soon, you'll notice tiny roots growing from those seeds to strengthen your belief. Keep watering them with positivity to taste the fruit of your productive self-talk.

Don't just talk. Listen to yourself

Develop your listening skills. Be attentive. What's the use of talking when you don't pay attention to your thoughts? Simple talk won't give you positive results. Listen with intent; don't stuff yourself with useless content. Understand and analyse your inner conundrum. Self-talk becomes soothing when listening becomes mandatory.

Be an observer, not a reactor

Observe and stay away from negative self-talk—don't control; just let it pass. The more you react, the more it influences your mood. The more it influences your mood, the more it attracts your attention. Don't fall into this trap.

Feel and heal your inner expressions

Treat yourself well. You are human. Accept it. Remember, you are talking to yourself. Don't suffocate yourself with self-guilt. Heal your soul with encouraging words. Think positive. Feel your emotions to grow better with time. Don't indulge into past and future discussions to such an extent that it impacts your present self-relationship.

Pat yourself on the back

It takes guts to scan inner thoughts, an exercise that's not for the light-hearted. Experience can be mentally draining, but the output is rewarding. If you've ever indulged in self-training sessions, clap for yourself. If someone finds it weird, they may not yet have experienced the self-connection. Feel lucky to get the chance to get one-on-one with yourself.

Become your own mascot

Be your own cheerleader. Pump yourself up before an important event, and inject positivity within. Be there for yourself in tough times, as you would do for your loved ones. Self-engagement is a healthy way to move forward.

Inquire before making any judgments

Embrace your self-talk with a curious mindset, and be receptive to feedback. Keep asking questions to refine your understanding. Always question your reasoning but never question your questions. Let them disturb you. Let them enlighten you.

Personal commentaries have the potential to change your outlook on life. Keep a check on your intimate conversations. If the discussion makes you fearful, angry or guilty, coat a layer of optimism, joy and contentment. You are safe in your company as long as you keep improving the quality of your thoughts.

The author is founder of Mushroom Content, aims for making businesses more human with approachable content