We are often overwhelmed by our thoughts, with an endless loop of worries and anxieties going through our minds.
It’s important to understand the impact of our inner voice and learn how to manage it correctly.
Chatter, is the dark side of our inner voice. It doesn’t serve as a tool for problem-solving, instead, it often leads to worry and catastrophizing.
But our inner voice isn’t essentially negative; it’s the way that we utilize it that determines its impact on our lives.
Language is a what that helps us navigate the world and provides us with a survival tool. Our inner voice allows us to communicate with ourselves, imagine and prepare for future events, control our actions, and help us understand who we are.
Despite its potential benefits, unchecked chatter can have detrimental effects on our well-being. It can make it hard for us to concentrate, harm our relationships, make us more irritable, and even lead to health problems like cardiovascular disease and chronic inflammation.
The good news is that there’s a science-based solution to help regain control of our inner voice.
One good strategy is the use of rituals, which provide a sense of order and control amidst the chaos of chatter. By doing things in a certain order regularly, rituals can help us feel less swamped by our thoughts.
An example of a ritual can be a simple evening routine:
Choose a time each evening, say 8:00 PM, to begin your unwinding process. Sticking to this schedule helps signal to your brain that it’s time to start calming down.
Turn off or put away all electronic devices. This can include your phone, computer, and television. The idea is to reduce exposure to screens that can keep your mind buzzing.
Spend 10–15 minutes in meditation or mindfulness practice. You can use guided meditations from an app or simply sit in silence, focusing on your breath. This helps center your thoughts and reduce the chatter in your mind.
Take 5–10 minutes to write in a journal. You can jot down what you’re grateful for, what happened during the day, or anything that’s on your mind. This act of writing helps process your thoughts and can make them feel more manageable.
End your ritual by reading a book for pleasure for about 20–30 minutes. Choose something light or uplifting that can help you relax without overstimulating your mind.
But actually managing chatter is a highly individualized process. What works for one person may not work for another. The key is to experiment with different techniques and find the unique combination that works best for you.
In short, even though having lots of thoughts is a normal part of being human, they don’t have to take over our lives. If we learn about our inner voice and use ways to work with it, we can become stronger, more focused, and happier every day. So, whenever you feel overwhelmed by your thoughts, remember that you can take back control and steer your thoughts in a happier direction.
Sources:
What to do if your inner voice is cruel | Ethan Kross (youtube.com)
