Self-talk

My niece was running up and down my parents' hallway last week as I was doing some reading for school. The rest of my family was out in the family room, so she was in her own world. Her own world where she was a star.

When she reached the end of the hall, she gave commentary on the amazing race that had just transpired. "Caitlin, wins again!" "Caitlin, the number one runner of the AquaSox!" (A little confusion on the sport!). "Caitlin, the fastest runner!" No one was watching and no one was listening. She wasn't proving anything to anyone.

I'm not sure when we learn how to self-talk, but I do know how important it is. Although my self-talk is usually (never?) something I verbalize, it is something I am aware of. For example, last summer I found myself biking through a Scottish landscape, what felt like miles behind my biking companions. I couldn't even see them anymore they were so far away. It was just me, and the cows I was slowly passing by. So, I thought, I can either feel lame, slow, and weak, and start crying because I feel unworthy OR, I can realize what an amazing experience this is (when will I ever bike through Scotland again?!), that I am going my own pace, and that my own pace is good enough and the best I can do. Thankful, I was able to self-talk myself into the latter frame of mind and have an enjoyable, though slow, ride through the greenery.

Although Caitlin is only three, I hope she continues to self-talk and encourage herself. Self-talk can be very useful when you least expect it, so practicing is a good thing - even when you're racing yourself down a ten-yard hallway. Caitlin, the racing champion.