Can you remember what you were saying to yourself last time you did well in your sport? Perhaps you said to yourself “Great shot!” or “That race was fantastic!” Can you also remember what you said to yourself if things didn’t go the way you would have liked? Self-talk can also be negative and if you find yourself saying things such as “You idiot!” or “Well I saw that coming…” then you will probably have experienced the tension, increased anxiety, frustration or even anger which can result from these negative comments in your head.

Negative self-talk is a sure fire way of lowering self-confidence, whereas positive self-talk can enhance your motivation, confidence, focus and subsequently improve overall performance.

This is not about ignoring a mistake or bad performance – we can all learn from the things we’ve done wrong – however your response to negative events can determine how you deal with these situations and your ability to motivate yourself to overcome these and move on.

Hypnosis can help overcome negative self-talk by using Cognitive Restructuring and visualisation of an alternative/positive thought, which in turn helps boost your motivation and confidence to do better next time. In addition, Sports Psychology exercises such as creating positive self-statements and affirmations can help improve overall self-image.

If you would like to find out how hypnosis could help you overcome negative self-talk, email Christy today: Christy@christyhypnotherapy.com or call 01252 334377