Online, Self-Talk for Anxiety
A gentle practice for calming your mind and softening your inner world
Learning Objectives
- Understand how self-talk influences anxiety.
- Identify unhelpful self-talk patterns.
- Practice 3 calming self-talk phrases.
- Feel more empowered to respond to anxiety with kindness.
What Is Self-Talk?
Self-talk is the inner conversation we have with ourselves—every thought, phrase, and whisper inside. It can be a voice of encouragement… or anxiety.
How Self-Talk Shapes Anxiety
Anxious self-talk often sounds like:
- “I can’t handle this.”
- “Something bad is going to happen.”
- “I always mess up.”
These phrases fuel fear and tension. But we can learn to speak to ourselves differently.
The Power of Gentle Self-Talk
Gentle self-talk helps shift our nervous system from fear to safety. It soothes the heart. It offers hope, not pressure. And most importantly, it reminds us: we are not alone.
3 Self-Talk Phrases to Calm Anxiety
- “I am safe in this moment.”
- “It’s okay to feel what I feel.”
- “This will pass—I’ve been through hard things before.”
Guided Practice
Take a gentle breath in… and slowly breathe out.
Place a hand over your heart, if you’d like.
Repeat quietly in your mind:
“I am safe in this moment.”
Let the words wash over you.
“It’s okay to feel what I feel.”
Notice any tension softening, even slightly.
“This will pass. I’ve been through hard things before.”
Stay here for one more breath… knowing you’re not alone in this.
Reflection Questions
- Which phrase felt most comforting to you?
- What anxious thought could you meet with kindness?
- How might your day shift if you practiced one calming phrase each morning?
Closing Thought
“You don’t have to fight your thoughts. You just have to soften your response to them.”
With warmth,
Your Mindful Self-Talk Guide