If you have known me for any length of time, you are aware I sometimes have a quirky way of looking at things.
When it comes to turning down the volume of negative self-talk, that is no exception.
Not ‘seeing’ the negative thoughts gives them power, like a hidden force. In his book “Crash the Chatterbox” Steven Furtick suggests personifying those thoughts. He does it by giving it a name “Mr Chatterbox” and tells this figure he will no longer listen to the lies and put-downs.
I have taken it a step further and use a Star Trek bear from Build-a-Bear Workshop. I have dressed him in a red shirt and keep him on my desk. You know about a red-shirt, right? You have be sure that if there is an away mission, and someone in a red shirt goes along, that person won’t be returning.
I project my negative thoughts and self-deafeating lies onto this bear. I point to it and tell it that it has no place in this scene of my life. I turn him around or move him behind me.
The act of speaking to my ‘thoughts’ and physically toughing them helps take away their power, allowing me to face them.
A Star Trek bear may not work for you, that’s okay. What will work for you? If you were to put a face on your negative thoughts what would it look like?
I would love to hear what you come up with. You are welcome to share you ideas privately with me via email, or publicly here in the comments.
If you were to personify the negative thoughts in your head, what would they look like?