How to Turn Off the Negative Voices in Your Head

If you’re like me, you’ve had a harsh, even demanding voice in your head a lot of the time. Which can be useful if you want to overachieve. But it can be hell on your self-esteem, your central nervous system, and your well-being. In this show I begin by sharing that one necessity when it comes to great self-care: asking for help. I read my essay, Why (and When) It’s a Good Idea to Ask For Help. This is for you if the mere idea of asking for help curls your toes. I go on to share my own story of how I overcame a raft of negative self-talk to become truly gentle and loving with myself. Today there really isn’t a trace of it anymore. And while it took a crisis for me to take stop and change the script… I’ve got an exercise for you that will lead you to better self-talk in a matter of minutes. Here’s the journaling exercise I describe on the show. Think of a time recently when you felt pressure around your own time/commitments… when it all felt a little out of control Now journal for at least 4 or 5 minutes on each of these questions. Just have it and let your thoughts flow… Who’s making big demands of you? Why? What would happen if you didn’t deliver perfection? What would happen if you didn’t deliver at all? Do you/did you need help or instruction? Do you/did you actually need to say no and get out of it? Who am I trying to impress anyway? Who am I trying to get permission from? May this show and this journaling exercise help you get back to YOU. Much love as ever… and if you want to, let me know if this show resonated with you… Just use the link in the Links section below. Thanks as ever for being in my orbit! RESOURCES Why (and When) It’s a Good Idea to Ask for Help The Joy of Letting Go Audiobook The Self-Care Group for Extremely Busy Women Let Suzanne know what you think… Suzanne’s Email Facebook MORE ABOUT SUZANNE Suzanne Falter is a writer, podcaster and essayist whose work has appeared in SELF, O, More, Fitness, New Woman and The New York Times, Tiny Buddha and Elephant Journal. She is the author of multiple self-help titles including How Much Joy Can You Stand? (Ballantine) and the upcoming book, The Extremely Busy Woman’s Guide to Self-Care (Sourcebooks). Suzanne also hosts the Self-Care for Extremely Busy Women podcast where she interviews leading self-care authorities and shares her own ideas.