The start of a new year comes with interminable resolutions and expectations. When it comes to self-growth, however, the majority of us struggle to produce tangible goals that positively enhance our daily lives from a cellular level. 

We are all our own worst critics, routinely dissatisfied with ourselves and the society that surrounds us. According to the National Science Foundation, 80% of a person’s everyday thoughts are negative. Of these adverse thoughts, many are directed toward ourselves, creating an unfavorable self-image, leading to an overall more pessimistic view of the world.

“Many people are conscious of an inner voice that provides a running monolog on their lives throughout the day,” said Psychology Today. “This inner voice, or self-talk, combining conscious thoughts and unconscious beliefs and biases, provides a way for the brain to interpret and process daily experiences.”

 Implementing positive self-talk into this stream of consciousness can be especially hard when becoming discouraged when comparing ourselves to everyone else is incredibly easy. How are we expected to talk positively to ourselves when it feels like our worth is measured in our social media analytics?

Not all negativity can be attributed solely to social media and the internet, but it surely plays some effect. People have degraded themselves long before these platforms were around; however, the mere existence of social media can keep us on a never-ending mental spiral of toxicity with seemingly no exit strategy. It is important to keep in mind though, that we control more of our thought processes than we realize.

Now, more than ever, it is vital to be mindfully kind to ourselves and others. Pessimistic ideas are powerless until they take on a life of their own through physical belief or speech. You cannot control all of the negative thoughts that pop into your head, but you are in control to choose the ones you speak into existence; the thoughts you believe. 

Goals for the new year, like making a conscious effort to complain less, limiting self-deprecating comments or simply being more amicable, can have a prominent impact on overall quality of life. Helpful tools like a social media cleanse or prioritizing self-care practices once in a while also help to monumentally boost energy. 

“Anytime a person can focus on the positive and things they have control of doing differently, it will help them improve their self-esteem and can even help to bring out optimism in others,” said LHS counselor Becky Thomas. “Positive self-talk helps generate positive thoughts, emotions and behaviors.”

Self-growth prospers through not letting all of the incessant negative thoughts get out of control. After all, our words powerfully influence those around us and ultimately shape the way we view the world. Enrich your life in 2022 by focusing on actively training your brain to replace seeds of negativity with positive affirmations.