End Negative Self-Talk
On this page 5 headings
Start here “I can’t draw.” Many of us say this. Then turn the picture upside down and copy it line by line, and suddenly the drawing comes out better and calmer. The problem was never your hand. It was the voice in your head.
The upside-down drawing activity
Three students copied a drawing in two ways:
- The normal way: look at the picture and copy it.
- Upside down: turn the picture upside down and cover most of it, so only a small strip shows. Copy that strip, then move down.
| Student | What they said |
|---|---|
| Tushar (said he “can’t draw”) | First try: worried it looked like a donkey and kept “fixing” it. Second try: noticed more details and felt more peaceful. |
| Anamika (good at drawing) | Upside down felt strange, just lines and wiggles. She expected it to go wrong, trusted the process, and it came out fine. “Doing something unconventional won’t always lead to a bad result.” |
| Anirudha (doesn’t feel creative) | The second try was less stressful, because he saw lines, not “a horse that must be perfect”. He gained confidence that with practice and the right method, he can improve. |
This activity comes from the book Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain by Betty Edwards. It broke Prof. Prasanna’s belief that she couldn’t draw.
Lesson: When we stop judging (“this must be perfect”), the inner chatter quietens and creativity flows.
Words are powerful
Ending negative self-talk clears your mind and opens up creativity. Words create, so use words of power and positivity in the present to create the future you want.
Prof. Prasanna also refers to a video by Jim Kwik on how to stop negative self-talk: acknowledge the chatter, don’t fight it, let it go, and then align with your goals using positive words and actions.
The ABRA method
| Step | What to do |
|---|---|
| A — Acknowledge | Notice the chatter. Don’t fight your limitations or argue with them. What you resist, persists. |
| B — Breathe | Breathe in what you want. |
| R — Release | Let go of what you don’t want: release your limitations. |
| A — Align | Align with who you are, who you wish to become, and the future you wish to create. |
Everyday example Before a viva, your mind says, “I’ll blank out, I always do.” Acknowledge it: “Okay, I’m nervous.” Breathe in calm. Release “I always blank out.” Align: “I’ve prepared these 5 topics. I’ll take one question at a time.”
Focus on the process, not the result
Lecture example — M. S. Dhoni A journalist asked how he stays so calm. Dhoni said he doesn’t focus on the result; he focuses on the process. When he sees a ball he can hit, he hits it.
Lecture example — the conference checklist In 2005, Prof. Sivakumar had to organise a big conference: about 300 participants, many from abroad, to be opened by President A. P. J. Abdul Kalam. He was very tense. A colleague sat him down for 15 minutes and listed every task, with who would do it. Seeing the full list, his tension vanished. The event ran “like clockwork”. Lesson: Worry grows in your head. Writing a clear list turns it into steps.
In one line: Quieten negative self-talk with ABRA (acknowledge, breathe, release, align), use positive words, and focus on the process, not the result. Exam words: negative self-talk, inner chatter, Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain, Betty Edwards, ABRA, acknowledge, breathe, release, align, what you resist persists, words of power, process over result.