The Inner Dialogue
Do you talk with yourself? When we hear people talking aloud
with themselves we consider it weird. But have you noticed that
all people, with no exception, talk silently with themselves?
This, we do not consider odd or weird.
If someone hurts you in some way, or says something you do not
like, what do you do? You enact a whole scene of anger in your
mind! You envision yourself talking angrily; you shout at him
and tell him some not so nice things. Sometimes people spend
hours in such negative, destructive inner dialogues.
There is a continuous conversation going on in everyone's head,
and a lot of energy, time and attention are wasted on small
unimportant incidents. This conversation goes on from the moment
of waking until falling asleep.
The inner dialogue continues while working, studying, reading,
watching TV, talking, walking, eating, etc. There is a constant
judging of people, commenting on what is going on, planning,
gossiping, and mental conversations with people.
These inner dialogues bring about a snowball effect. The more we
conduct them, the more we become chained to them and unable to
stop them. When the emotions are also evoked, more power, energy
and attachment are added. This has an adverse effect on the
behavior, judgment and general performance.
On many occasions the inner dialogue is negative and strengthens
any negative attitude and behavior. Few people have enough faith
in themselves and in their abilities, so as to conduct positive
inner dialogues. The process and effect of these inner
conversations is similar to affirmations. Constant thinking
about the same subject influences the subconscious mind, which
consequently accepts these thoughts and words and acts on them.
Negative inner dialogues bring negative results, and positive
inner dialogues bring positive results.
You can use this process to your advantage. It is an automatc
activity, which goes on whether you are aware of it or not. If
you learn to become aware of it, you gain the ability to control
it. You can turn it into a positive dialogue. If you do that,
you come to realize that you have a mighty power in your
possession .
Try to be aware of your thoughts. Calmly watch what is going in
your mind, even if after a few moments you may forget to do
that. The inner dialogue goes on even when physically you are
engaged with something else. It is not so easy to mentally
separate oneself from the thoughts and words the flow through
the mind.
Over and over again endeavor to keep your attention of what is
going inside your head, and eventually you will be able to
become aware of the inner dialogue for longer times. Watching
the mind and what is going on inside it develops detachment.
Detachment gives a better control of the mind and its chatter.
Whenever you catch yourself conducting a useless, futile
conversation with yourself, stop it. Change it to something more
useful. Replace the subject, and the words. It is like running
an audiotape. Why not replace it with another tape that you
like? Why let this tape play by itself? Change the words of the
inner dialogue to positive ones about good health, happiness and
success.
There is another thing you can do, but this needs concentration
and will power. You can try to stop this inner conversation
altogether. Try to ignore it and give your mind a vacation. Let
the mind rest for a little while. Life can certainly go on, even
when this dialogue is silenced. For a little while, enjoy some
rest from the mind's incessant conversation.
The inner dialogue is fine sometimes, but most of the time it is
just incessant useless chatter, which distract the attention
from what you are doing at each moment. By becoming aware of it,
and replacing it with a positive one, or just refusing to become
involved with it, you gain the ability to control it.