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As your morning alarm blares, you mutter to yourself, “Why did I set it so early?” While brushing your teeth, you think, “I need a haircut... unless?”
當你的早晨鬧鐘響起時，你對自己咕噥：「我為什麼設這麼早？」刷牙時，你想：「我需要理髮...除非？」
Rushing out the front door, you reach for your keys and realize they’re not there.
匆忙衝出前門，你伸手拿鑰匙，發現它們不在那裡。
Frustrated you shout, “I can’t do anything right!” just in time to notice your neighbor.
沮喪的你大喊：「我什麼都做不好！」正好注意到你的鄰居。
Being caught talking to yourself can feel embarrassing, and some people even stigmatize this behavior as a sign of mental instability.
被發現自言自語可能會感到尷尬，有些人甚至將這種行為污名化為精神不穩定的跡象。
But decades of psychology research show that talking to yourself is completely normal.
但幾十年的心理學研究顯示，自言自語是完全正常的。
In fact, most, if not all, of us engage in some form of self-talk every single day.
事實上，我們大多數人，如果不是全部，每天都會進行某種形式的自我對話。
So why do we talk to ourselves?
那麼我們為什麼要對自己說話？
And does what we say matter?
我們說的話重要嗎？
Self-talk refers to the narration inside your head, sometimes called inner speech.
自我對話指的是你頭腦中的敘述，有時被稱為內在言語。
It differs from mental imagery or recalling facts and figures.
它不同於心理意象或回憶事實和數字。
Specifically, psychologists define self-talk as verbalized thoughts directed toward yourself or some facet of your life.
具體來說，心理學家將自我對話定義為針對你自己或你生活的某個方面的口語化思想。
This includes personal conversations like “I need to work on my free throw.” But it also includes reflections you have throughout the day, like “The gym is crowded tonight. I’ll come back tomorrow.”
這包括個人對話，如「我需要練習我的罰球。」但它也包括你一整天的反思，如「今晚健身房很擁擠。我明天再來。」
And while most self-talk in adults tends to be silent, speaking to yourself out loud also falls into this category.
雖然成年人的大多數自我對話往往是無聲的，但大聲對自己說話也屬於這一類。
In fact, psychologists believe our first experiences with self-talk are mostly vocal, as children often speak to themselves out loud as they play.
事實上，心理學家認為我們對自我對話的第一次體驗主要是口語的，因為孩子們在玩耍時經常大聲對自己說話。
In the 1930s, Russian psychologist Lev Vygotsky hypothesized that this kind of speech was actually key to development.
在1930年代，俄羅斯心理學家 Lev Vygotsky 假設這種言語實際上是發展的關鍵。
By repeating conversations they’ve had with adults, children practice managing their behaviors and emotions on their own.
通過重複他們與成年人的對話，孩子們練習自己管理他們的行為和情緒。
Then, as they grow older, this outward self-talk tends to become internalized, morphing into a private inner dialogue.
然後，隨著他們長大，這種外在的自我對話往往變得內化，轉變為私密的內在對話。
We know this internal self-talk is important, and can help you plan, work through difficult situations, and even motivate you throughout the day.
我們知道這種內在的自我對話很重要，可以幫助你計劃、處理困難情況，甚至在一整天中激勵你。
But studying self-talk can be difficult.
但研究自我對話可能很困難。
It relies on study subjects clearly tracking a behavior that’s spontaneous and often done without conscious control.
它依賴於研究對象清楚地追蹤一種自發的、通常在無意識控制下進行的行為。
For this reason, scientists are still working to answer basic questions, like, why do some people self-talk more than others?
因此，科學家仍在努力回答基本問題，比如，為什麼有些人比其他人更頻繁地進行自我對話？
What areas of the brain are activated during self-talk?
自我對話時大腦的哪些區域被激活？
And how does this activation differ from normal conversation?
這種激活與正常對話有什麼不同？
One thing we know for certain, however, is that what you say in these conversations can have real impacts on your attitude and performance.
然而，我們確切知道的一件事是，你在這些對話中說的話可以對你的態度和表現產生真正的影響。
Engaging in self-talk that’s instructional or motivational has been shown to increase focus, boost self-esteem, and help tackle everyday tasks.
進行指導性或激勵性的自我對話已被證明可以增加專注力、提升自尊，並幫助處理日常任務。
For example, one study of collegiate tennis players found that incorporating instructional self-talk into practice increased their concentration and accuracy.
例如，一項對大學網球運動員的研究發現，將指導性自我對話納入練習增加了他們的專注力和準確性。
And just as chatting to a friend can help decrease stress, speaking directly to yourself may also help you regulate your emotions.
就像與朋友聊天可以幫助減少壓力一樣，直接對自己說話也可能幫助你調節情緒。
Distanced self-talk is when you talk to yourself, as if in conversation with another person.
距離自我對話是指你對自己說話，就像在與另一個人對話一樣。
So, rather than “I’m going to crush this exam,” you might think, “Caleb, you are prepared for this test!” One study found that this kind of self-talk was especially beneficial
所以，與其說「我要粉碎這次考試」，你可能會想：「Caleb，你為這次考試做好了準備！」一項研究發現，這種自我對話特別有益
for reducing stress when engaging in anxiety-inducing tasks, such as meeting new people or public speaking.
在進行引起焦慮的任務時減少壓力，比如認識新朋友或公開演講。
But where positive self-talk can help you, negative self-talk can harm you.
但積極的自我對話可以幫助你，消極的自我對話可能會傷害你。
Most people are critical of themselves occasionally, but when this behavior gets too frequent or excessively negative, it can become toxic.
大多數人偶爾會對自己挑剔，但當這種行為變得過於頻繁或過度消極時，它可能會變得有毒。
High levels of negative self-talk are often predictive of anxiety in children and adults.
高水平的消極自我對話通常預示著兒童和成人的焦慮。
And those who constantly blame themselves for their problems and ruminate on those situations typically experience more intense feelings of depression.
那些不斷為自己的問題責備自己並反覆思考這些情況的人通常會經歷更強烈的抑鬱感。
Today, there’s a field of psychological treatment called cognitive behavioral therapy, or CBT, which is partially focused on regulating the tone of self-talk.
今天，有一個稱為認知行為療法或 CBT 的心理治療領域，它部分專注於調節自我對話的語調。
Cognitive behavioral therapists often teach strategies to identify cycles of negative thoughts and replace them with neutral or more compassionate reflections.
認知行為治療師經常教授策略來識別消極思想的循環，並用中性或更富有同情心的反思來取代它們。
Over time, these tools can improve one's mental health.
隨著時間的推移，這些工具可以改善一個人的心理健康。
So the next time you find yourself chatting with yourself, remember to be kind.
所以下次你發現自己在對自己聊天時，記住要友善。
That inner voice is a partner you’ll be talking to for many years to come.
那個內在的聲音是一個你將在未來許多年裡與之交談的夥伴。
點擊句子跳轉到對應位置
As your morning alarm blares, you mutter to yourself, “Why did I set it so early?” While brushing your teeth, you think, “I need a haircut... unless?”
當你的早晨鬧鐘響起時，你對自己咕噥：「我為什麼設這麼早？」刷牙時，你想：「我需要理髮...除非？」
Rushing out the front door, you reach for your keys and realize they’re not there.
匆忙衝出前門，你伸手拿鑰匙，發現它們不在那裡。
Frustrated you shout, “I can’t do anything right!” just in time to notice your neighbor.
沮喪的你大喊：「我什麼都做不好！」正好注意到你的鄰居。
Being caught talking to yourself can feel embarrassing, and some people even stigmatize this behavior as a sign of mental instability.
被發現自言自語可能會感到尷尬，有些人甚至將這種行為污名化為精神不穩定的跡象。
But decades of psychology research show that talking to yourself is completely normal.
但幾十年的心理學研究顯示，自言自語是完全正常的。
In fact, most, if not all, of us engage in some form of self-talk every single day.
事實上，我們大多數人，如果不是全部，每天都會進行某種形式的自我對話。
So why do we talk to ourselves?
那麼我們為什麼要對自己說話？
And does what we say matter?
我們說的話重要嗎？
Self-talk refers to the narration inside your head, sometimes called inner speech.
自我對話指的是你頭腦中的敘述，有時被稱為內在言語。
It differs from mental imagery or recalling facts and figures.
它不同於心理意象或回憶事實和數字。
Specifically, psychologists define self-talk as verbalized thoughts directed toward yourself or some facet of your life.
具體來說，心理學家將自我對話定義為針對你自己或你生活的某個方面的口語化思想。
This includes personal conversations like “I need to work on my free throw.” But it also includes reflections you have throughout the day, like “The gym is crowded tonight. I’ll come back tomorrow.”
這包括個人對話，如「我需要練習我的罰球。」但它也包括你一整天的反思，如「今晚健身房很擁擠。我明天再來。」
And while most self-talk in adults tends to be silent, speaking to yourself out loud also falls into this category.
雖然成年人的大多數自我對話往往是無聲的，但大聲對自己說話也屬於這一類。
In fact, psychologists believe our first experiences with self-talk are mostly vocal, as children often speak to themselves out loud as they play.
事實上，心理學家認為我們對自我對話的第一次體驗主要是口語的，因為孩子們在玩耍時經常大聲對自己說話。
In the 1930s, Russian psychologist Lev Vygotsky hypothesized that this kind of speech was actually key to development.
在1930年代，俄羅斯心理學家 Lev Vygotsky 假設這種言語實際上是發展的關鍵。
By repeating conversations they’ve had with adults, children practice managing their behaviors and emotions on their own.
通過重複他們與成年人的對話，孩子們練習自己管理他們的行為和情緒。
Then, as they grow older, this outward self-talk tends to become internalized, morphing into a private inner dialogue.
然後，隨著他們長大，這種外在的自我對話往往變得內化，轉變為私密的內在對話。
We know this internal self-talk is important, and can help you plan, work through difficult situations, and even motivate you throughout the day.
我們知道這種內在的自我對話很重要，可以幫助你計劃、處理困難情況，甚至在一整天中激勵你。
But studying self-talk can be difficult.
但研究自我對話可能很困難。
It relies on study subjects clearly tracking a behavior that’s spontaneous and often done without conscious control.
它依賴於研究對象清楚地追蹤一種自發的、通常在無意識控制下進行的行為。
For this reason, scientists are still working to answer basic questions, like, why do some people self-talk more than others?
因此，科學家仍在努力回答基本問題，比如，為什麼有些人比其他人更頻繁地進行自我對話？
What areas of the brain are activated during self-talk?
自我對話時大腦的哪些區域被激活？
And how does this activation differ from normal conversation?
這種激活與正常對話有什麼不同？
One thing we know for certain, however, is that what you say in these conversations can have real impacts on your attitude and performance.
然而，我們確切知道的一件事是，你在這些對話中說的話可以對你的態度和表現產生真正的影響。
Engaging in self-talk that’s instructional or motivational has been shown to increase focus, boost self-esteem, and help tackle everyday tasks.
進行指導性或激勵性的自我對話已被證明可以增加專注力、提升自尊，並幫助處理日常任務。
For example, one study of collegiate tennis players found that incorporating instructional self-talk into practice increased their concentration and accuracy.
例如，一項對大學網球運動員的研究發現，將指導性自我對話納入練習增加了他們的專注力和準確性。
And just as chatting to a friend can help decrease stress, speaking directly to yourself may also help you regulate your emotions.
就像與朋友聊天可以幫助減少壓力一樣，直接對自己說話也可能幫助你調節情緒。
Distanced self-talk is when you talk to yourself, as if in conversation with another person.
距離自我對話是指你對自己說話，就像在與另一個人對話一樣。
So, rather than “I’m going to crush this exam,” you might think, “Caleb, you are prepared for this test!” One study found that this kind of self-talk was especially beneficial
所以，與其說「我要粉碎這次考試」，你可能會想：「Caleb，你為這次考試做好了準備！」一項研究發現，這種自我對話特別有益
for reducing stress when engaging in anxiety-inducing tasks, such as meeting new people or public speaking.
在進行引起焦慮的任務時減少壓力，比如認識新朋友或公開演講。
But where positive self-talk can help you, negative self-talk can harm you.
但積極的自我對話可以幫助你，消極的自我對話可能會傷害你。
Most people are critical of themselves occasionally, but when this behavior gets too frequent or excessively negative, it can become toxic.
大多數人偶爾會對自己挑剔，但當這種行為變得過於頻繁或過度消極時，它可能會變得有毒。
High levels of negative self-talk are often predictive of anxiety in children and adults.
高水平的消極自我對話通常預示著兒童和成人的焦慮。
And those who constantly blame themselves for their problems and ruminate on those situations typically experience more intense feelings of depression.
那些不斷為自己的問題責備自己並反覆思考這些情況的人通常會經歷更強烈的抑鬱感。
Today, there’s a field of psychological treatment called cognitive behavioral therapy, or CBT, which is partially focused on regulating the tone of self-talk.
今天，有一個稱為認知行為療法或 CBT 的心理治療領域，它部分專注於調節自我對話的語調。
Cognitive behavioral therapists often teach strategies to identify cycles of negative thoughts and replace them with neutral or more compassionate reflections.
認知行為治療師經常教授策略來識別消極思想的循環，並用中性或更富有同情心的反思來取代它們。
Over time, these tools can improve one's mental health.
隨著時間的推移，這些工具可以改善一個人的心理健康。
So the next time you find yourself chatting with yourself, remember to be kind.
所以下次你發現自己在對自己聊天時，記住要友善。
That inner voice is a partner you’ll be talking to for many years to come.
那個內在的聲音是一個你將在未來許多年裡與之交談的夥伴。