Wellness Tip: Positively Impactful

Sometimes we can be hard on ourselves, especially during high-stress times, if we’re not feeling well, or when we’re experiencing fear or anxiety—all of which are common when navigating breast cancer.  But turning negative self-talk in a positive direction has been proven to improve mood and outlook, which also correlates with better health outcomes. And it's a habit you can learn!

Like anything else, exercise will help your positive inner voice grow stronger. Here’s one way to start building that strength.

This week, write down two criticisms you tend to have about yourself. They can be about your current abilities, your physical appearance, or anything about which you feel limited or insecure right now. Don’t dwell. Just note two recurrent things you find your “inner critic” telling you. After you write down these negative comments, think creatively about how you can reframe each of them in a positive way. This is where you can spend a bit of time and really look at things from a variety of angles. Then literally rewrite your thoughts.

For example, if you wrote "I am so slow and unmotivated now," you could change that to "My body and emotions are depleted, and I am defaulting to “low gear,” which is wiser than overtaxing myself right now." Read your re-written thoughts several times, even saying them out loud, to start getting them as practiced as your negative self-talk may have become.

Next, try to continue the activity mentally throughout your week. Whenever you start to think something negative about yourself, reframe it into positive self-talk. Even if you don’t find a perfect “rewrite” immediately, just the act of thinking through the reframing can start forming fresh pathways in your brain.

If this doesn’t feel natural at first, keep practicing. It may be that negative self-talk has been having too much say in your inner world. Like anything else, exercising your positive inner voice will help it grow stronger.

Paying It Forward

If you already practice positive self-talk, try writing down three negative things you hear other people say about themselves. Then write down statements you could gently use to help them reframe those thoughts. The next time those negative comments come up in conversation, you'll be prepared to help if welcome.