By: Shannon White
The way that you think and feel about yourself is extremely important especially when it comes to public relations work and business in general. In this day and age many young adults have a very self-deprecating sense of humor. This behavior is highlighted a lot on social media and seen as comedic among young people. This message of negativity is extremely destructive and can create a habit of these thoughts remaining in your day-to-day mindset creating an unhealthy environment for yourself.
These thoughts can also become a reality. What many people fail to realize is the power of our thoughts and words. Thoughts can easily turn into words, words to actions and actions into reality. As a public relations professional it is important to not only have your clients be seen in a positive light, but you as an individual should be seen in a positive manner too. Your own PR is just as important. Potential employers and colleagues should know that you are a competent individual with a unique set of skills to bring to any team you are on.
As someone who also struggles with positive self-talk, I can tell you now that it is easier said than done when changing your mindset. However, there are several ways that you can try and correct this negative mindset.
One way is changing what you consume online. Examining your external environment is extremely important. Ask yourself if there are any external factors contributing to your negative self-talk. Are you following people that make you feel worse about yourself? Are you following accounts that have negative language in their content? Cleansing your feed is a great way to brighten up your mindset and start your journey toward building it.
Another tip to a more positive mindset is to assess your values. When you are thinking about the way that you talk to others and how you treat them, ask yourself, “would I say these mean things to a friend?” Think of yourself as one of your closest friends. You are the person you know best and are with at all time. Why not tell yourself the positive things you would say to a friend or coworker?
Finally, prioritize yourself. Are you creating habits that will help you create a positive self-narrative? Are you reminding yourself that it’s not the end of the world when things go wrong and you’re not a failure? Remember, your narrative sets the attitude you have and the words that you say to yourself. Prioritize your happiness and do things that will help reinforce confidence. When your confidence is low, others can sense that and in turn they could believe the negative things you say about yourself.
Overall, your self-talk should be uplifting and positive. These changes don’t happen overnight, but taking small steps to get there will be a crucial step in finding success in your career.
