Do you have a lot of negative self talk?

Do you know what negative self talk is?

Negative self talk is the negative thoughts that we sometimes have in our minds. I would be lying if I said I have never experienced them because I have.

In fact, I used to have a lot of negative self talk.  It wasn't until I started meditating that I became aware of it.

Being aware of it helped me to start challenging those thoughts..

Have I stopped having negative thoughts?

No.

But when these thoughts come now, I become aware of them faster and I can counter them faster.  

If it is an upcoming situation that I am having negative thoughts about, I try to visualize a positive outcome instead of a worst case scenario happening.

The more you work on this.  The easier it will become. 

When you first started meditating, did you notice negative self talk?

If not, what was the first thing you noticed?

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I have been keeping a journal since I was twelve.  My mother gave me my first journal for my birthday that year.  

I had gotten away from it but now I am making sure that I write in it at least once a week.  

For me, it is a way to get my thoughts out of my mind.  It is very therapeutic to put my thoughts to paper. 

Sometimes when I put my thoughts on paper, things do not seem as overwhelming as they did in my head.  It becomes a way to find ways to problem solve some of the troubles in my life. 

Journaling can also be a way to monitor your self talk.  You can see whether you have a lot of negative thoughts. If you do, you can start challenging those thoughts with more positive ones.

Keeping a journal can also be a way to see how far you've come by seeing the fears that you had at one time and have overcome.

The last thing that you can use a journal for is as a place to keep a gratitude list.  This makes you thankful for what you have despite what troubles you may be going through right now. 

You don't have to have a long list. Two to five things or people you are grateful for is fine.

How many of you keep a journal? 

What do you write about?

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Have you ever done a random act of kindness?

Have you been the receiver of a random act of kindness?

I can honestly say I can answer yes to both of these questions.  

Today was a day that I was not feeling all that great and not in a great mood.

My mother and I were out grocery shopping.  We stopped at our local food co-op.  We went to the cart return to get some shopping carts.  We kept trying to pull these carts apart but no matter how much we struggled they would not budge.

In steps, this guy.  "Do you need some help?"

He grabbed the carts and was able to finally free them for us.  We of course thank him.  

It is amazing how something that small and can really make your day a little better. 

I even said to my Mom, "That was really nice that he did that for us."

I know today it seems like our world is so cold but it is people like this man who helped us today that lets me know that there are still kind people out there. 

Do you perform random acts of kindness?

Has someone done one for you? 

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1. Dim the lights.

Just like you set the mood for a romantic evening.  You need to set the mood for a good night's sleep.

Leave on the least amount of lights that  you can. I tend to leave on the Himalayan lamp that I have and turn out the rest of the lights.

2. Wear blue light blocking glasses

Blue light stops the production of melatonin, which is known as the sleep hormone,  Unfortunately you probably have LED lights in your home.  If you do, they give off blue light. Wearing blue light blocking glasses will block that spectrum of light.

3. Don't drink a lot of water before bed.

If you drink a lot of water before bed, you will have to get up out of your bed to go to the bathroom and this will disrupt your sleep.

4. Don't eat 3 hours before bed.

If you do eat close to bedtime, your body will still be digesting that food when you go to bed and focusing on preparing you to sleep.

5. Use essential oils to help you to relax into sleep.

Trying diffusing lavender, Serenity, Balance or Peace if you have a diffuser.

If you don't have a diffuser, apply this oils topically to the back of your neck and your chest. 2 drops of essential oil or to 6 drops of a carrier oil

6. Turn off the electronics at least an hour before bed.

Just like the LED lights, electronics emit blue light unless you have an app that blocks it.

I hope these tips will help you get a better night's sleep.  Let me know if they do by commenting below.