Self Talk Success – Listen To Your Inner Voice To Lose Weight

When you think about reaching your weight loss goals, what do you hear your inner voice say? Do you hear, “I’ll never succeed”? How about, “I can lose the weight, but I won’t keep it off”? In the words of Henry Ford, “If you think you can do it, or you think you can’t do it, you are right.” Your personal self talk is a very powerful indicator of your success in reaching your weight loss goals, or any goals for that matter. So, how do you set yourself up for success?

First, you have to listen to yourself to see exactly what it is you are saying. Most of our self talk happens subconsciously so we are not overtly aware of our internal dialogue. It happens “behind the scenes”. Thus, you are not consciously aware of what you are saying and, subsequently, hearing. Make sure to pay attention. When you think about changing a behavior to assist you in your weight loss efforts, what do you hear yourself saying internally? Are you positive, encouraging and optimistic? Or, are you treating yourself the way an abusive parent treats a child or an abusive partner treats his or her mate? Are you demeaning, discouraging and negative? If the latter is what you hear yourself saying, it is no wonder your goals have eluded you. But, read on. There is hope!

Once you realize that you are speaking to yourself in a negative manner, you have to stop the thoughts. Stop them right when they begin. The absolute moment you become aware that you are speaking to yourself in less-than-supportive terms, say “stop” to your inner voice. If you wish, say it out loud to reinforce that you are not going to let your inner self talk direct to your outer self in a negative manner. Also, be aware of your surroundings before you say too much out loud. If you are in the middle of a meeting or church, for instance, you may choose to keep it inside your head. Of course, you can still say it out loud. Just be prepared for the consequences.

When you say it, say it like you mean it. Do not give a wimpy, mousy little “stop”. Give a loud, ear smashing, peace breaking, destroy-the-universe-with-my-voice “STOP!!!!” Stand up to yourself for yourself. Tell your inner, subconscious mind that you are done being abused. You will not take it from anyone else and you certainly are not taking it from yourself!

Finally, replace the negative thought with a positive one. Tell yourself you can do it. Tell yourself you will succeed. Become your own cheerleader. After all, if you do not believe in yourself, why would anyone else? At the same time, you have to believe what you are saying, so it is very important that you be honest with yourself. Remind yourself that reaching your goals is going to take a lot of hard work and effort. Remind yourself that you will experience pitfalls and hurdles along the way. Also, remind yourself that you have experienced obstacles before and successfully navigated them. What lies before you is not insurmountable.

It will take time for you to change the way you talk to yourself. Chances are that you have been belittling, demeaning and downright mean to yourself for years. Now is not the time to beat yourself up even more for beating yourself up to begin with. You have to start treating yourself the way you would treat a friend. Give yourself kindness and dignity and respect. Support yourself in your endeavors. When you start doing that, you will soon realize your goals are within your reach. Believe in yourself. I do!

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