The Habit of Talking to Myself

I talk to myself a lot.

No, not in the “shouting at walls” way — more in the “keeping myself company in my own head” way.

It started quietly, without me realising. At first, it was just little murmurs when I was stuck in a problem:

"Okay, so what do we do now?"

Then it became pep talks before meetings:

"You’ve got this. Just speak clearly and don’t overthink."

And sometimes, it turned into comfort after mistakes:

"Alright… not the best move. But we learned something. Let’s fix it."

It might sound strange, but I’ve realised this habit has been my lifeline more than once.

The Voice You Hear Every Day

We don’t always notice it, but we talk to ourselves all day.

Speaking to myself with kindness makes obstacles feel lighter and easier to handle. I take risks. I try again after failing.

But when I’m harsh, I shrink. I hesitate. I start believing I’m not enough.

So now I treat my inner voice like a permanent roommate — because that’s exactly what it is. I can’t kick them out, so I might as well make sure they’re on my side.

Why It Matters

The world is loud. Everyone has opinions, advice, criticism.

But at the end of the day, the voice that stays in my head is mine. If I make it gentle, I walk lighter. If I make it cruel, even the smallest days feel heavy.

Talking to myself has taught me that kindness doesn’t always have to come from others. Sometimes, you can give it to yourself first.

Author’s Note:

If you’ve never tried talking to yourself, try it today — not in a self-conscious way, but as a friend. You might be surprised how much lighter life feels when your own voice starts rooting for you.