At Leaves Personal Care, we desire to care holistically for the complete person. Part of that is a focus on soul care. An important piece of soul care is focusing on our internal dialogue. Author Paul David Tripp often repeats this idea: “no one is more influential in your life than you are, because no one talks to you more than you do. You are in an unending conversation with yourself. You are talking to yourself all the time, interpreting, organizing, and analyzing what’s going on inside you and around you.”

Understanding the problem

Internal dialogue, also known as self-talk, refers to the ongoing mental conversation we have with ourselves throughout the day. This inner voice can significantly impact our mood, decisions, and actions. When our internal dialogue is predominantly negative, it can lead to increased stress, anxiety, and even depression. Conversely, a positive internal dialogue can enhance our resilience, motivation, and overall mental health.

What the Bible teaches about self-talk

In the Psalms, the writers often mused about what they were saying to themselves; “Why are you discouraged? Hope in God, I will yet praise Him!” Ps 42:11 See also Ps 103, 104, 116,145 and so on. In these positive examples, the people who penned the Psalms were often talking to themselves about trusting God and but in the New Testament, Jesus tells a story about a person whose self-talk was not healthy. Luke 12:19 tells the story of a guy who instead of trusting in God was telling himself to trust in his wealth and resources. The results of his unhealthy self-talk were severe.

Cultivating a healthy internal dialogue offers numerous benefits

Modern therapists and authors also propose positive outcomes from maintaining healthy self-talk including:

• Improved confidence
• Enhanced stress management
• Better decision-making skills
• Increased motivation and productivity
• Greater emotional resilience

Strategies for Developing Healthy Self-Talk

Here are a few steps you can implement to improve your internal dialogue and improve your thought life:

• Recognize Negative Patterns: whether it’s unhealthy comparison, name calling, prideful trust in self rather than God or negativity, we have to recognize those patterns and consciously work to refute things that are untrue and focus on what is true, pure and lovely (Phil 4:8)

• Consider meditation: the practice of meditation allows us to center ourselves and focus our minds on biblical truth. Here are some steps to practice.
  • Set a time limit – It doesn’t need to be an hour at time, you can start with just 5-10 minutes
  • Find a quiet place to be still – be comfortable and try to remove distractions. Pay attention if your mind starts to wander.
  • Choose a scriptural truth to dwell on that can soak into your soul

Final thoughts

Both caregivers and those needing supportive care must take time to keep a healthy mental outlook. At Leaves Personal Care, we strive to serve the whole person, mind, body and soul. We want our clients and our caregivers to be equipped to live life to honor God and serve others. If you’d like to know more, please contact us to learn how we support our clients and our employees in living rich, full lives.