Tender Talk

When the world seems hopelessly out of control , one thing you can control are your most private conversations- the ones that go on inside your head. 

You can actually help calm yourself down by the changing the way you talk to yourself.

So if you are feeling anxious and worried try tender talk. 

This means talking to yourself in a sweet and loving way- as if you are comforting a small child.

This might seem really challenging at first. Maybe its been a long time since you were talked to this way. Maybe you can’t remember ever being talked to tenderly?  Or perhaps you have never really thought about the way you talk to yourself?

But you do know how to tender talk- just do it for yourself.  

Tell yourself sweetly - in this moment right now you are safe now. We are all in this together and we will take care of each other. There are people who will help you. we will get through this. You don’t have to know everything. Its alright to play. to laugh. to relax. You are going to be okay. 

Even if your so called rational brain is screaming “no I am NOT okay and never will be!” - just keep on tender talking. Be kind and gentle with yourself.  

Tender talk yourself until you feel a shift. until you feel the stress subside, the cortisol lower, your breath deepen.  

Send yourself sweet and loving words in a soothing, comforting way. 

This is big work. We are wired to look for danger as a way to keep ourselves safe. 

But right now being in constant high alert fear mode does not serve you or those around you. We all need to work on being the calmest most loving versions of ourselves in a crisis.

So try tender talk. 

And just be sweet to yourself.