Now Listen Up, Me

The way you speak to yourself matters. Yoga and meditation instructor Natalie Söderström explains how to improve your inner dialogue By Coco Marett Photography

- Jocelyn Tam

If a friend or loved one ever spoke to you the way that you speak to yourself, would you want to keep that person around? The answer seems obvious. And yet our inner critic’s voice is louder than that of our inner cheerleader’s more often than not, even though negative self-talk can be just as toxic and limiting as what others might say.

“Our brains are wired to notice negative things. It’s an instinct that dates as far back as when we were cavemen and women when we had to constantly look out for danger,” Natalie Söderström, a Hong Kong-based yoga and meditation expert, explains.

We might not be on the lookout for saber-toothed tigers anymore, but day-to-day stresses (a global pandemic, for one) still keep our minds busy. Here, Söderström breaks down five ways to practice kindness to yourself by shifting your inner voice to one that is positive, uplifting, and productive.

AN ATTITUDE OF GRATITUDE

We might not have control over everything that happens around us, but what we can control is our perspective. Instead of thinking “this rain sucks”, you could think, “I’m grateful for this home to stay warm and dry in.”