self talk

Self-talk is the ongoing inner dialogue that can shape what you think and feel, including your mood.

• Continuous and often unnoticed: Many people are covertly talking to themselves much of the time, without realizing how frequent that inner stream is. 1
• Meditation brings it into view: As attention settles, meditation can reveal how thoughts and inner chatter arise—and how they compete with attention to the breath or other things. 2
• Identifying with thoughts: Thoughts can feel like “me,” including harsh or negative self-perceptions, even though they arise and pass. 3
• Transient, yet mood-shaping: A thought may unravel when examined and still, when unnoticed, strongly affect your mood. 4