We do it. Almost always and everywhere: talking to ourselves. Don't you think so? Then consciously listen to the inner voice in your head. And? Can you hear it? If so, then not only is that a good thing, but you are also one of the 96% of people who, according to surveys, talk to themselves.
Experts even assume that everyone does it - only the meagre four percent are not aware of it. Does that mean we're all crazy? Absolutely not. Talking to ourselves is totally healthy, has a huge impact on our well-being, relieves loneliness for many and even makes us happy. Even small children talk to themselves. But not just in their thoughts. They love to talk loudly to themselves. This is how they process the experiences of the day - and don't feel alone. Psychologist Corinna Reichl from Heidelberg University Hospital explained in an interview that the same regions of the brain are activated during this type of conversation as during a real one-to-one dialog with a counterpart.
Trust the power of your words
Whether audible to everyone or just in silence: If you talk to yourself, you can develop unexpected powers, motivate and encourage yourself, calm yourself down or inspire creative flights of fancy. Stop ignoring your inner voice and give it a real chance. How can you do this? We'll show you using four everyday examples.
4 situations in which self-talk helps
1. before challenges
Imagine you want to explain to your boss why you finally deserve a pay rise. Talking to yourself can work wonders. First of all, go through the dialog with your boss in your head. Your brain will store the information on your desktop like a file and keep it ready for future reference. Another plus: you can use it to motivate and encourage yourself. Say out loud what you are thinking. For example: "Maria knows she can do it! She has already mastered completely different and bigger challenges in her life." Addressing yourself in the third person - isn't that silly? Maybe it is. But it works. I promise! And it's even scientifically proven. Because: researchers at the University of Michigan have discovered that talking to yourself in this way has the greatest influence on us when it comes to motivational issues. Give it a try!
2. as a reminder
We probably don't need to memorize much learning material anymore, but everyday life is challenging enough with its small to-do lists. Here too, the spoken word has a magical power. Repeat the things you want to remember out loud. When we listen, our memory is even better able to store information. Another trick: put the words in context and ask yourself questions about them: "Maria has to buy flowers for her friend Anne today. Which flowers would you like to buy, Maria?" Always answer the questions as precisely as possible. This will help you build a bridge that you are guaranteed to remember.
3. on the carousel of thoughts
All of us have probably experienced thoughts going round in circles. We can no longer concentrate on anything. It's all about what we've experienced or an upcoming event. Sleepless nights included. The solution: a serious word with ourselves. When we talk, we put our inner life back in order and become clear. Comparable to an encounter with our best friend. Afterwards, we always suddenly know exactly what to do. Perhaps it will also help you if you imagine a person to talk to for your dialog. Can't think of anyone? Don't worry. Just thinking out loud brings order to the chaos, provides structure - and stops the ever faster spinning vortex of emotions in its tracks.
4. for really big feelings
Anger, sadness, friends, happiness. Big emotions need their place - they need to be let out and processed. Otherwise, negative moods in particular will quickly become a stressful and recurring problem. Therefore: give them space and allow them to be. You can do this particularly well by naming your feelings precisely and questioning yourself. Try saying: "I am extremely sad that ... Why does that make me so sad?" It is important that you communicate with yourself in the first person. This brings you into direct contact with your inner self. This form of processing is liberating - in a sustainable way. Allow yourself a quiet minute to have an in-depth conversation with yourself - and you will see.
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