Is it normal, self-talk?

Intrapersonal communication is when you talk to yourself or have conversations in your head. For example, when you tell yourself that you'll do better next time after making a mistake or when you imagine talking to your boss because you want to leave work early. It's like sending a message to yourself and receiving it at the same time. Some people think that intrapersonal communication only happens in your mind, but it can also happen when you write a diary or make a list for yourself. When you talk to yourself, you can use words or just imagine things. Sometimes, you might have a conversation with different voices in your head. Intrapersonal communication can help you plan, solve problems, think, and dream.

When you wake up to your alarm, you might say to yourself, "Why did I set it so early?" While you're brushing your teeth, you might think, "I need a haircut... unless?" But then you realize you can't find your keys and get frustrated. Sometimes you might even talk out loud to yourself, which can feel embarrassing. But don't worry, it's actually really normal! Most people talk to themselves in some way every day. This is called self-talk, and it's like having a conversation with yourself in your head. It's different from just remembering things or picturing things in your mind. Self-talk can be about anything, like reminding yourself to practice basketball or telling yourself you can do well on a test.

Sometimes we talk to ourselves in our heads, but sometimes we talk out loud too. This is called self-talk. Even when we don't realize it, we talk to ourselves all the time. When we say things like "I'll come back to the gym tomorrow," that's self-talk. When we were little, we used to talk out loud to ourselves while we played. A long time ago, a smart person named Lev Vygotsky thought that talking to ourselves out loud was really important for growing up. When we talk to ourselves, we learn how to control our feelings and actions. As we get older, we start talking to ourselves in our heads instead of out loud. This is still really important because it helps us plan, work through tough times, and stay motivated. But it's hard for scientists to study self-talk because it's something we do without even thinking about it.

Scientists are still trying to figure out why some people talk to themselves more than others and what happens in the brain when we do it. But we do know that what we say to ourselves can make a big difference in how we feel and perform. If we say positive things to ourselves, like "I can do this," it can help us focus and feel better about ourselves. This is especially true for athletes who use self-talk to improve their game. Talking to ourselves like we're talking to a friend can also help us feel less stressed. This is called distanced self-talk and it can be really helpful when we're feeling anxious.

Sometimes we talk to ourselves in our heads. This can be good or bad. When we say nice things to ourselves, it can make us feel good. But when we say mean things to ourselves too much, it can be really bad for us. It can make us feel anxious or sad. There are people who can help us learn how to talk to ourselves in a better way. They teach us how to stop saying mean things and start saying nice things. This can help us feel better over time. So, remember to be nice to yourself when you talk to yourself in your head. You'll be talking to yourself for a long time!