How do you talk to yourself? If you find negative thoughts creeping in, or sometimes taking control of the conversation, you’re not alone. Most everyone has an internal dialogue that’s too self-critical at times. This can lead to unneeded mental suffering and unhealthy choices, which could take you further down the spiral of negativity. So, how do we change the conversation in our head? Luckily, there are some ways to cultivate a more positive internal dialogue.

First and foremost, identifying the negative self-talk is critical. Once you identify these moments, now you can stop them and hopefully turn them around. So, notice the moments when you’re speaking to yourself too critically. Checking in with yourself during bad days can also prevent things from getting worse from self-doubt. And after pinpointing the negative, it’s now time to change them into the positive.

Humor is a powerful tool for switching up your emotions. So, when you’re feeling negative about your self-image, making a joke to neutralize those thoughts could turn it around. An example of this is self-love sarcasm. Jeans feeling a little tight? That’s because they can’t handle all that goodness. Hair thinning? You’re as beautiful as aspens shedding their leaves in the fall. Teeth looking crooked and stained? It’s called character, sweetie, look it up. Keeping the dialogue light will help the self-doubt from getting too heavy.

Another thing to focus on is gratitude. When we’re grateful for the things that we do have, we’re not thinking about the things we lack. You can start small to get the ball rolling. If you have hands, be grateful for them. Eyes? Give thanks. A roof over your head? Sing a love song to it. Now give your biceps a smooch and make a list of the things you can be grateful for.

Positive affirmations are another great tool to use when your self-talk has you down. Repeat phrases like “I’m beautiful, I love myself, thank you” over and over. This technique takes you out of the negative cycle and helps you focus on something good. Empowering affirmations like “I’m strong enough to overcome this challenge” can defeat the negative keep us moving forward. “Don’t worry, you got this.”

By identifying negative thoughts and introducing positive ones to replace them, we can more reliably control how we feel. And that’s what it’s all about. So, give yourself a pep talk and let yourself know how much you love you. Everyone needs to hear it, especially from ourselves. Stay positive out there.