Talking to oneself, often seen as embarrassing, is a normal cognitive tool for organizing thoughts and preparing for tasks.

Positive self-talk is an internal dialogue that makes a person feel good about themselves. A person can use positive self-talk to think optimistically and feel motivated. Identifying negative ...

In J. R. R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings, Gandalf, after talking to himself aloud in the presence of others, defends the practice as, “a habit of the old,” to speak to the wisest person available.

Cowritten by Arasteh Gatchpazian and Tchiki Davis. Rumination is often defined as a repetitive thought cycle focusing on causes, consequences, and symptoms of one’s current negative state. For example ...

Positive self-talk involves having an inner dialogue that is primarily optimistic and positive. These thoughts and statements are the ones that build you up, increase your motivation, and make you ...