5 Benefits of Talking to Yourself

When Did We Start Talking to Ourselves?

Many children begin talking to themselves at two or three years old, which is normal at this early age. But as the child grows, they become more covert about self-directed talk. They often do this more quietly or privately to avoid being overheard. As adults, we still talk to ourselves, but not as often though. Some do it occasionally, while others on greater frequency.

Self-talk is your inner dialogue, monologue, or inner speech. It helps you process things through internal conversation. Some people become less anxious when they take the time to self-talk. It also makes them productive and boosts their self-esteem, but what are the benefits of talking to yourself?

Benefits of Talking to Yourself

1. Relieves stress

As I have mentioned above, self-talk releases stress. Talking to yourself helps you organize your thoughts and sort out your obligations. Your mind stops from racing and wondering when you’ll get things done. You become more relaxed and able to think clearly. It’s like a pep talk with yourself, especially under high stress. Whether giving yourself a pep talk or rehearsing your lines, hearing the words come out of your mouth makes the action possible. You also help yourself face tough situations with confidence and courage.

2. It gives you time to reflect

Talking to yourself helps you separate from your own experience. What does it mean? It means you are giving time to reflect on the things that happened or are happening in your life. Distancing yourself from it can help you see things from a different perspective and more objectively. It also minimizes your immediate reaction and prevents you from making the wrong decisions.

3. Better memory recall

According to studies, people who repeat the name of the item they’re looking for in a store are bound to find them faster than those who wander around looking for it. The hypothesis is that repeating works can spark memory recall of known objects. It makes things tangible and is likely to stick out to an observer. Researchers believe that when people talk to themselves, memory improves and creates a stronger association of words to the visual targets they’re searching for.

4. Helps solve problems

One of the best benefits of talking to yourself is that it fosters self-reliance. It helps you be keener in solving problems. Those who talk to themselves are better at analyzing situations and coming up with conclusions independently. Talking to ourselves helps develop listening to our inner voice. It also helps us work through problems and monitor our progress in our performance.

5. Helps achieve your goals

Writing your to-do list is easy, but sometimes, lists can be too long and overwhelming. But talking through your list can help you prioritize which ones are doable. Talking through your list also helps you visualize completing the tasks. Focusing your attention reinforces the message you have in mind, controls your emotions, and filters distractions.

You’re not going crazy. Talking to yourself is healthy in many ways, just like the benefits mentioned above. Negative self-talk can seriously impact your well-being and thoughts. But if you reframe your words, it makes it easier for them to be beneficial.