I know I have spoken about the role our internal dialogue plays in our thinking.  However, I realized the importance of revisiting this topic after I read something written by Kimmie Smith at Relax-Relate-Let Go.

Depending on which voice we are listening to, these voices can influence our thinking in positive or negative ways. What are your voices saying to you? Are they encouraging and uplifting, or do they insult you and attempt to take away your feelings of self worth?

One of the first things my counselor had me do when I first started seeing her, was to find at least three positive things about any situation or thought that I had.  Slowly, I began replacing my negative thinking with thoughts that were positive.  The next step was to start replacing my negative internal dialogue with one that was uplifting and positive.

Just stating it like that makes it seem like the process was super easy. The truth is, this has been the hardest thing I have ever done.  The voices I have listened to for most of my life were negative, mean and spiteful.  Learning how to block them out and listen to the ones that wanted to uplift me and tell me that I was a worthy person was a challenge of a lifetime.

Once I was able to change my focus from negative to positive, I found that my depression had less and less control in my life.  That not nice voice. that wanted me to keep listening to it is now silent most of the time, and the voice that speaks of nothing but love to me, comes in loud and clear.

Again, what do your voices say to you?  Are you listening to the ones that are intent on making you feel bad or are you only paying attention to the ones that lift you up?

There is an exercise that many people use when they are trying to change what the voices within them say.  Kimmie Smith explains it on her site.  Basically, you write down all the thoughts you have for a 24 hour period.  When the time is up, you look at what you have written and decide whether your thoughts are mostly negative or positive. I think this is a great tool in helping someone learn how to listen to the positive voice, however, it was one that never would work for me.  The act of writing stuff down, just feels like too much effort to me.  Instead, what I did was to pay much more attention to my thoughts and the words that came out of my mouth.  Each time I had one that was negative, not nice, or mean, I would make a concerted effort to replace it with something that was positive and uplifting.

Take the time to figure out what your voices within say to you, and which ones you listen to the most.  It very well could be the most productive step you take in maintaining good mental health.