Conversation Starters To Quiet Your Inner Critic
8 ways to start a nice conversation with yourself
Last week, I was in the city and walked into a pizza shop. The first thing I saw was a sign by the cash register that said, “Cash Only.” My immediate thought was, “Crap. Just my luck.” The second thing I saw, when I looked slightly to the right of the counter, was an ATM machine.
Lately, it’s been hard to see how things will work out in our favor because life and the world don’t make it easy to hold onto that level of hope.
Today, I’m asking you to pull up a chair to talk to the kinder, more hopeful parts of yourself. I don’t believe in toxic positivity, but I also don’t want to live in a world with only toxic negativity and such a narrow perspective that I miss the ATM machine.
Conversation starters to talk to the kinder parts of your mind:
What is one thing that went right in my day?
Is there any way I can see this situation through a more empowered lens?
Is there any chance this will feel less bad tomorrow?
Do I need to HALT? (Am I hungry, angry, lonely, or tired?)
When was the last time I made it through a similar situation?
If I can’t change how bad ‘it’ is right now, what does acceptance look like for me?
Can I ask someone to help me hold onto hope?
Let’s list 5 things to prove I’m actually trying my best
None of these questions will erase the bad or heavy happening in your life or the world. There’s no magic sauce for that. I do think there’s room to add more kindness to our inner dialogue, though. It may just start one small question at a time.