Enrichment · Wellbeing

Hear what you say
to yourself.

Most self-talk runs in the background, and some of it is harsher than anything you would say to a friend. Catch a moment, write the exact words, rate how they left you and spot the thinking traps in them. Then rewrite the line the way a good coach would, using “you” or your own name, and rate how believable it is.

Catch a momentWhat you get

Moments caught

The worked example is made up: four moments of self-talk caught in one week of tenth grade. Saved on this device only.

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What you get

Enrichment · WellbeingFree

What you finish with
An entry per moment: where you were, what you said to yourself word for word, its tone, whose voice it was in, the thinking traps in it, how it left you feeling (1 to 5), an optional coach’s rewrite and how believable it is. Shows how much was harsh, the most common trap, rewrites that use “you” and how believable the rewrites are; flags harsh self-talk with no rewrite, a rewrite still in the first person and one that is hard to believe.
Who it is for
Students in grades 6 to 12 and college; athletes, performers and anyone who wants to notice their inner voice.
Format
Browser journal with a saved entry per moment. Prints one moment, every moment in a table or a blank page; downloads a spreadsheet (.csv); exports and imports a file.
Access
Free. No account, no sign-in and nothing to install. Everything you type stays in this browser; nothing is sent to Caveat.
Where it lives
The Wellbeing space in Caveat Enrichment.
Support
Questions about access, an order or a correction: team@caveatacademic.com.

How to use it

  1. When you notice yourself thinking something sharp, write it down word for word as soon as you can.
  2. Mark the tone and whose voice it was in.
  3. Tick any thinking traps from the table below.
  4. Rewrite it as a good coach would, using “you” or your name.
  5. Rate how believable it is, and keep it realistic rather than cheerful.

Catch a moment

Why “you” works better than “I”

Six common thinking trapsTrapSounds likeAsk insteadAll-or-nothing“I always freeze”Sometimes? When?Mind reading“They think I’m stupid”What do I actually know?Fortune telling“We’ll lose because of me”What else could happen?Labeling“I’m an idiot”Describe what I didShould statements“I should be over it”What would I like?Blowing it up“The day is ruined”How big in a week?Six common thinking trapsAll-or-nothingSounds like: “I always freeze”Ask instead: Sometimes? When?Mind readingSounds like: “They think I’m stupid”Ask instead: What do I actually know?Fortune tellingSounds like: “We’ll lose because of me”Ask instead: What else could happen?LabelingSounds like: “I’m an idiot”Ask instead: Describe what I didShould statementsSounds like: “I should be over it”Ask instead: What would I like?Blowing it upSounds like: “The day is ruined”Ask instead: How big in a week?
The traps come from cognitive therapy. Spotting one does not mean the thought is false; it means it is worth checking.

A little distance

In a series of experiments, people who talked to themselves using their own name or “you” before a stressful speech felt less anxious and performed better than people who used “I”. The switch creates a little distance, like advising a friend.

Realistic beats cheerful

A rewrite you do not believe will not stick. Aim for what is true and useful: one question missed, three answered, a plan for tonight. Athletes trained in instructional and motivational self-talk improve on many tasks.

When the voice will not quiet

If harsh self-talk is constant, or it tells you that you are worthless or should not be here, talk with a parent, a teacher, your school counselor or a doctor. If you might not be safe, call or text 988.

Sources

  1. Kross, E., et al. (2014). Self-talk as a regulatory mechanism: how you do it matters. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 106(2), 304 to 324.
  2. Hatzigeorgiadis, A., Zourbanos, N., Galanis, E., and Theodorakis, Y. (2011). Self-talk and sports performance: a meta-analysis. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 6(4), 348 to 356.
  3. Beck, A. T. (1976). Cognitive Therapy and the Emotional Disorders. International Universities Press.
  4. 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (988lifeline.org): call or text 988, chat online, 24 hours a day.

The worked example is made up. This journal is for noticing and practice; it is not therapy or a diagnosis. Nothing you type is sent to Caveat. Support: team@caveatacademic.com.