You are most likely reading this silently. In doing so, you are hearing these written words in the form of an internal voice.
It is normal that we all have an ongoing, inner commentary of our daily experience and thoughts.
But please be aware that most of our internal and external life experience highly depends on the quality and management of this internal voice.
This is the art of mastering self-talk.
The first habit to introduce is to change your internal monologue into an internal dialogue. A monologue is a long, tedious speech by one person, in a one-way manner.
A dialogue, on the other hand, is a two-way, back and forth discourse between two parties. Usually, we all have one dominant voice that goes without challenge, making us over-reliant on the quality of that singular voice.
It is beneficial to introduce a second voice that critically analyses the first voice, and that voice should ideally be designed in alignment with your goals.
For instance, an internal voice that is singular can make monologic statements such as: “That will never work,” without challenge.
Without a second voice, such statements come across as facts.
However, we all have the option of purposefully introducing a second voice that is aligned to your ideal mental predispositions.
That second voice could say: “Yes it can work, just prepare early,” or for those who are negatively inclined, that second voice would respond with: “Why do you think it will not work,” and so forth.
Make it a point to observe the nature of that first voice. What is its tone?
Does it encourage you or discourage you?
Then start establishing your own trained second voice that enriches your internal dialogue towards your purposes.
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