We can all use energy principles to change how we are feeling and how we think and act. We are energy beings, not just physical beings and we have internal senses that can guide us. Paying attention to them, you will also become more familiar with your emotional, mental, and spiritual self. An example of how you can use your internal energies is if you listen to the little voice inside your head; this voice is your self-talk. By tuning in to self-talk that is positive and healthy, you can encourage yourself with whatever task or goal that you are trying to accomplish. Sometimes, self-talk can even entertain you, especially when you use your imagination! If you allow yourself to have negative self-talk though, you leave yourself open to discouragement, gloomy, or even harmful thoughts about yourself. While it can be difficult to talk your way out of these dark places, it can be done because you have the power to change how you feel and what you tell yourself!
In my own life I have to remind myself that I have the ability to change the direction of my thoughts and feelings to more optimistic ones. For example, when I have to give an oral presentation, I get anxious and my self-talk becomes negative; I tell myself I will probably stumble over my words, stutter, or say something incorrect. So, instead, I tell the voice in my head to think positively and confidently. I say things such as, what I am presenting to the class is helpful and informative and that I have worked hard and know what I’m talking about. This not only changes my mood but it also improves how I feel physically. When nervous, I tend to breathe heavily and my voice shakes, but as I talk encouragingly to myself, my breathing calms down and I become steadier. In Track Your Truth, Puja writes: “Just a little bit of self-confidence can make a huge difference and can help you seize opportunities in front of you…The really good news is that we can develop inner strengths such as resilience, confidence, and insight by actively decreasing our focus on the negative and increasing our focus on the positive.” Simply by transforming your thoughts, you can improve your entire outlook on who you are and how you want to feel.
With skills like changing the way you speak to your inner self, you can improve your understanding of your internal senses and energies. When this happens, you can develop a greater sense of how interdependent your thoughts, feelings, spirit, and body are.
Written by Allyson Macci, Roots & Wings SUNY New Paltz Intern