Modern Wisdom #477 - Ethan Kross - How To Improve Your Inner Voice
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May 23, 2022 
Ethan Kross, a Professor at the University of Michigan and expert in emotional control, shares insights on our inner voice and its impact on mental health. He discusses the significance of self-talk, highlighting effective strategies to manage negative inner chatter. Kross reveals how age and gender influence our mental dialogue and explores the power of self-compassion in achieving emotional balance. Listeners will learn practical techniques, like distant self-talk, and the restorative benefits of nature for mental clarity.
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Inner Voice Functions
- The inner voice is like a Swiss army knife, useful for memory, planning, self-control, and making sense of life.
- It's part of our verbal working memory, helping us rehearse information and simulate future scenarios.
Negativity Bias
- While the inner voice offers many benefits, its negative aspects tend to grab our attention more.
- This negativity bias is likely rooted in our evolutionary need to be more attuned to threats.
Controlling Inner Dialogue
- We don't control thoughts that arise, but we can control how we engage with them.
- There are distancing, social, and environmental tools to manage inner dialogue.
