Srikumar Rao on our mental chatter

“You have a companion. One that never, ever leaves you. It sticks with you, staying even closer than your shadow. It is like a leech sucking your blood, and you cannot shake it loose.

“This constant companion is your mental chatter.

“Another name for it is your internal monologue. It begins the moment you open your eyes in the morning and carries on until you close your eyes at night…

“When you look at your mental chatter, you will notice that it is an unending stream of noise. But you will also discover that much of it is putting you down, either directly or, more subtly, by having you compare yourself unfavorably to others.

“And it is exhausting you by telling you all the things you have to do that you probably will not be able to.

“Over time, those negative judgments start to accumulate. Eventually, they form a huge barrier squarely in front of you on the path to your ideal life.”

Continued in article Your Constant Companion – Mental Chatter, By Srikumar Rao, PhD