What To Say When You Talk To Your Self

by Shad Helmstetter

Your feelings are created, controlled, determined, or influenced by your: 3. ATTITUDES

Your attitudes are the perspectives from which you view life.

Whatever attitude we have about anything will affect how we feel about it, which in turn determines how we’ll act about it, and that in turn determines whether or not we will do well.

So our attitudes play a very important part in helping us become successful.

Without a good attitude, a perspective which allows us to see the opportunities ahead and set our sights to reach them, we never will. But even more important is the fact that in order to possess the kinds of feelings which work for us, we’ve got to have the right attitudes to start with.

Our attitudes are no accident. They don’t just happen. Our attitudes are created, controlled, or influenced entirely by our: 4. BELIEFS

What we believe about anything will determine our attitudes about it, create our feelings, direct our actions, and in each instance, help us to do well or poorly, succeed or fail. The belief that we have about anything is so powerful that it can even make something appear to be something different than what it really is. “Belief” does not require that something be the way we see it to be. It only requires us to believe that it is.

Belief does not require something to be true. It only requires us to believe that it’s true. That’s powerful stuff! That means most of what reality is, to each of us, is based on what we have come to believe––whether it’s true or not.

Our beliefs are not accidents of nature. Our beliefs are created and directed entirely by our: 5. PROGRAMMING

We believe what we are programmed to believe. Our conditioning, from the day we were born, has created, reinforced, and nearly permanently cemented most of what we believe about ourselves and what we believe about most of what goes on around us. Whether the programming was right or wrong, true or false, the result of it is what we believe.

It is our programming that sets up our beliefs, and the chain reaction begins. In logical progression, what we believe determines our attitudes, affects our feelings, directs our behavior, and determines our success or failure:

1. Programming creates beliefs.

2. Beliefs create attitudes. 3. Attitudes create feelings. 4. Feelings determine actions. 5. Actions create results.

self-talk is a way to override our past negative programming by erasing or replacing it with conscious, positive new directions. Self-talk is a practical way to live our lives by active intent rather than by passive acceptance.

Each level is specific and distinct from the others.

“I just don’t have the energy I used to,” “I could never do that,” “I just can’t seem to lose weight,” “Well, I just don’t know...”, “Today’s just not my day,” and “I just can’t.,”

kinds of doubts, fears, misgivings, and hesitations we program ourselves

Level 1 self-talk represents everything from our simplest misgivings to the worst fears we have about ourselves. It is our way of telling ourselves to hesitate, question our capabilities, and accept less than we know we could have done, had we only given ourselves a chance.

It is our way of timidly hiding in the shadows instead of boldly thriving in the sunshine.

It turns self-assurance into self-doubt and chaos. It cripples our best intentions and seduces us into becoming satisfied with mediocrity.

It makes no difference how harmless the words seem at the time; they are the backbone of everything that works against us and stands in our way. Rid yourself of the negative “I can’ts” of Level 1 self-talk, and you will have rid yourself of your greatest foe.

This level is beguiling. On the surface, it looks as though it should work for us. But instead, it works against us.

this level of self-talk, we are stating to ourselves and to others our recognition of our need to change.

Level 2 self-talk is characterized by words such as “I need to...” or “I ought to...” or “I should.” Why does that work against us? Because it recog...

When you say to yourself (or to someone else) “I really need to get more organized,” what are you really saying? You are saying, “I really ne...

Level 2 self-talk creates guilt, disappointment, and an acceptance of our own self-imagined inadequacies.

“This is the ‘me’ I want you to create. Forget all that bad programming I gave you in the past. This is your new program. Now, let’s get to work at it.”

“I am organized and in control of my life. I am a winner. I am healthy, energetic, enthusiastic, and I’m going for it. Nothing can stop

me now. I like who I am. I am in tune, on top, and in touch, and going for it. I have determination, drive, and self-belief. I am living the life I choose, and I choose what’s right.”