Increasing Self-Confidence Through Self-Talk

There are varied opinions on the commonness of self-talk. Some feel self-talk is engaged in more by persons who feel insecure and question their performance (Cauchon, 1994). Others feel self-talk is a process people use continually to describe and interpret the world, accurate or inadequate as the case may be. (Hansen, Rhode, and Wolf-Wilets, 1991; Braiker, 1989). Regardless of how much self-talk the nurse is aware of in interacting with clients and intrapsychically, it is important to assess thoughts for their logic or illogicality. Illogical thoughts should be replaced by positive words of encouragement, which will in turn raise the client's or nurse's self-concept and level of self-confidence. Making self-talk positive is always good nursing practice.