Whether you realise it or not, you are always in a conversation. Sometimes with colleagues, students and family – but always with yourself.
The average human has between 50,000 to 70,000 thoughts per day, and each thought is a mini-conversation. That’s a lot of internal chatter!
But, have you ever stopped to listen to what that inner voice says?
Long story short, we can be very hard on ourselves! For the average human, up to 80% of our internal dialogue is negative and/or critical. It’s like a civil war between your ears: you versus you. Psychologists call it ‘negativity bias’.
We might say things like, ‘I’m so stupid,’ or ‘I’ll never be able to do this,’ or ‘I’m just not good enough.’ And guess what? When we say those things to ourselves over and over again, we start to believe them and we become that person.
But what if we flipped the script and started saying nice things to ourselves instead? Crazy, right?
Imagine saying things like, ‘I’m actually pretty darn great,’ or ‘I’ve got this,’ or ‘Know what, I’m actually brilliant at what I do!’ It might sound silly, but studies have shown that positive self-talk can actually improve our mood, reduce stress, and increase our chances of success.
Even better, by raising our own wellbeing bar, we create a ripple effect onto those around us too.
If we give this a school/college/university spin, it becomes really powerful. Bottle your scepticism for a minute and repeat after me…
‘I am a brilliant educator who makes a difference in the lives of my students and colleagues every day.’
‘I am an education ninja, stealthily ticking off big chunks of syllabus while also role modelling positivity, resilience and optimism.’
‘I’m a vital part of the team. I inspire, I bring energy and I bring optimism and hope.’
Here’s the thing. All the statements are true. They all represent you on a good day. The trick is to learn to have more good days.
This blog is nothing more than a simple reminder that you – at your best – are helping create a jaw-dropping environment in which your ‘customers’ and colleagues can also be at their best.
Please don’t take it too far. We’re not advocating that you get your students to chant affirmations before class.
Instead, why not try something a little simpler?
Start with you. End the civil war by:
Telling yourself you’re a good person;
Being proud of yourself for at least one thing each day;
Reminding yourself of your strengths;
Catching yourself doing things well;
Reminding yourself that you’re employed in a profession that genuinely make a difference.
This isn’t arrogant or big-headed. It’s the truth.
Remember, negativity bias is deeply embedded in the human operating system. If you let it do its thing, you will end up noticing the bad, being niggled by trivia, and running on empty.
So don’t let it win. Start reprogramming yourself with the actual truth. You are amazing!
Once you begin to believe it, you become that version of yourself, and the ripple starts.
So whatever your role is; educator, support staff, cleaner, headteacher, head of department, librarian, tech support, maintenance… the best way to win the war is to stop the one in your own head.
Our world-famous workshops and webinars are now available for teenagers, students and staff. If you want to embed positivity and resilience into the DNA of your workplace, we’d be delighted to chat through the options.