I find there are two ways which are useful to play with the negative internal dialogue. One way is just accepting that there is a ‘critic within’ which is always there to one degree or another. By recognising it and allowing it to have a voice we can be assertive and speak back to it to ground it more in reality. The book Psychocybernetics by Maxwell Maltz gives a good discussion of this as he speaks about starting a new career and the way his critic within attacks him. The talk going back to the inner critic may be something like ‘Hey wait a minute, it’s true that I’m a bit out of shape to do this run, but there’s no reason why if I put the effort in I can’t get fitter.’

Whereas we all have limitations within us it’s important to be able to get to a healthy ‘self concept’ as Maxwell Maltz would say. Again the more impacted we have been by negative relationships the stronger the critic within likely is. Again I’d recommend this book to work with and perhaps to complement sessions with me.

Another way to work with me which my Coach passed on to me was a more speaking out. Like you are having a conversation. Almost as if you are in the Counselling session or just speaking out to God, a higher power, or a good friend. It may be something like: ‘I just don’t know what I’m doing and how I can possibly do this.’ Then allow a supportive response to come back to you.

One way or another to have a good healthy life where we are feeling progress we need to be able to create a healthy internal dialogue.

Negative relationships often lead to negative self talk so part of my work with you in sessions and my foundation builder program will be around helping you to get this back so everything feels more constructive. Having a vision of yourself that is positive and healthy is vital to living a good life.