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Using Positive Self-Talk

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Using Positive Self-Talk

Two teenage girls holding balloons with facial expressions outdoors
Ben Schonewille/

Most of us have a lot of chatter going on in our heads. "What's for lunch today?" "I don't like greasy fries." "My favorite show is on after school." This is normal. Sometimes, though, the self-talk can get negative: "Nobody likes me" or "I'm never going to make it." Negative self-talk can make us feel bad and do poorly.

When you realize you are thinking a negative thought about yourself, you can stop the negative thought and replace it with a positive thought. See the examples in this chart.

Negative Self-Talk

You discourage yourself over a problem.

Positive Self-Talk

You encourage yourself with a solution.

I never do well on math tests.

I'm going to study harder for math.

I don't have many friends.

I'm going to join a club and find people like me.

Your Turn Replace negative self-talk with positive self-talk.

  1. Make a table like the one above.
  2. Write "Negative Self-Talk" over the left column and "Positive Self-Talk" over the right column.
  3. In the left column, list negative self-talk you sometimes think.
  4. For each piece of negative self-talk, write in the right column something you can do to fix the problem.
  5. Throughout your day, when you notice negative self-talk, stop it and replace it with positive self-talk.

From page 88 in In Focus (3-5)

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