Negative Self-Talk and How to Change It

by Shad Helmstetter

Negative Self-Talk and How to Change It is an immediately helpful, life-changing handbook of how to deal with negative self-talk –– for yourself, or anyone in your life.

Shad Helmstetter, Ph.D., the best-selling author of more than twenty books, is the leading authority in the field of self-talk today.

In this ’60-Minute’ Book™ written for today’s reader, Dr. Helmstetter gives you all of the important information you need to change negative self-talk forever, in a short, easy-to-read, and condensed format.

Also included is a special “Guide to Changing Your Self-Talk” from The Self-Talk Institute.

Genres: Self Help, Psychology, Nonfiction, Mental Health, Personal Development, Audiobook, Communication

92 pages, Paperback

Published May 13, 2019

Reviews

[Nathan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Short but 90% advertisement

Pretty quick read. Not really sure if it was worth $5. Also, 90% of the book is the author saying “listen to self-talk recordings” which is a cheap ploy to get you to buy his $25/MONTH recordings. Shameless. Idk if they work or not or if they’re worth it...but it bothered me that so much of his recommendations for improving your self talk seems to be centered around financially taking advantage of vulnerable people.

[Yusuf · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good but

Good but nothing groundbreaking or new. More of a summary than a self help book. This book is more "why" you should give up negative thinking instead of "how". But some very good points are made and it wasn't a bad way to kill an hour since this book is so short.

[Shiny5711 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not sure there's anything new here if you've read about this at all. But he has links to listening to the right kind of self-talk and that's supposed to help. Free for 30 days ;)

[aubs_ g · Rating 2 out of 5]

More a thought piece than a book, but there are a few points that resonate if you give them the space to.

[Swapnil Deshpande · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short, sweet and to the point.

[HUD · Rating 3 out of 5]

55 minutes to read 84 pages that was basically said we should practice the Stewart Smalley mantra: “I’m good enough, I’m smart enough, and gosh darn it — people like me!” (and maybe also take this course, follow the link below). That’s glib, but it’s also not entirely untruthful. The gist is, if you repeat enough positivity, your brain will be rewired and you can make positive changes for the better. Maybe it’s true, maybe not. Doesn’t hurt to try tho.

[Ana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Must read!

Finished this book in a day and I loved it. On point fast and very nicely written. I will be reading more of his books.

[Alice MacDonald · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this incredibly helpful and am looking forward to implementing this into my life to make positive change. There were a few angles in this book I disagree with, but the overall premise is very important and a good reminder that self improvement requires constant and intentional work.

[Stephanie’s Libby Antics · Rating 3 out of 5]

True stuff! Too short, my issues are much more stubborn than this book can handle.

How many books do we think equals one therapy session??

[Shway · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’ll have to rate this book about a 3 out of 5. The general message that the brain is programmed to believe what is repeated to it most and that we are guided by the subconscious mind was communicated well. The author explained that our negative self talk can lead us to a negative life in different areas and in order to change this we must stop the negative self talk and begin positive self talk. I also enjoyed the exercise of thinking about the most and least successful person in my life.

However, I believe the book is overly simplistic in some areas, lacking evidence and the statistics so kind of seem to be plucked from thin air. Also, the excessive pushing of his self talk guide and him saying that this is one of the only ways that we can improve our self talk seemed a bit grimy. All in all this book doesn’t really present groundbreaking information but gets across the message it sets out to succinctly.

[Jerry Elliott · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is not so much a book as an elaborate pitch for his website, with a wide array of absurdly expensive self-talk recordings. I respect the author but in this instance, I think he followed the advice of some consultant to "monetize his brand". You can skip this one and look into Shad's other, more substantial books.

[Martinez Crowell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really a quick read you can re visit over and over

[Carole Rae · Rating 3 out of 5]

Once in a while (maybe one or two books) I like to grab a self-help book. Sometimes we have read them for a book club or sometimes I find a random one. This time my therapist actually let me borrow her copy since we are working on my own negative self-talk and self-esteem issues.

This book goes over the science behind self-talk and how our brain gets programmed that way. It also goes over how you can rewire your brain to cut out negative self-talk and how it will change your life.

What I found extremely interesting was the part in the Q&A section about affirmations and activities like making notes for yourself (for instance, my therapist suggested I start putting sticky notes on the mirror to force myself to read them). The authors states it is good to do that, but it is a short-term remedy. The author states that in order to change the rewiring you have to listen to self-help audios and tapes. Listening and watching others helps more than reading words you yourself wrote. I found this interesting AND it makes sense. A lot of time the main reason we have these self-esteem and negative self-talk is because of listening to people and society shoving the idea that we are worthless down our throats.

I also found interesting the first few chapters about the actual science behind why we are negative. Very informative. I won't even go into explanation hahaha.

This is a condensed version of all his other works to give the reader a quick read and some good tips. It only took me about 30 mins and I was taking notes too. Super quick and an easy read. The author did a good job simplifying the science-y parts.

I do wish there had been more actually tips. The author goes over the 3 steps which were fantastic and easy to understand and follow. But I was hoping for more actual HOWs and tips/tricks.

In the end, this was a quick read and I learned quite a bit. Very interesting. I do wish there were more tips and tricks to ACTUALLY working on how to change how you think. Luckily I have my therapist who has given me a lot of tips, but if I wasn't in therapy already and reading this I would feel like "well...cool. I should change how I think but I need more help than that." Maybe his other books have more? The author has a load of other books.

But yes, not bad overall. Very informative. I'll give this 3 stars.

[Karen Hewitt · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Negative Self-Talk and How to Change It" is a book by Shad Helmstetter that provides a comprehensive and practical guide to overcoming negative self-talk and developing a more positive and empowered mindset. The book offers a step-by-step framework for identifying and changing negative self-talk patterns, and provides numerous real-world examples and case studies to illustrate the effectiveness of the approach.

Overall, I found this book to be a highly informative and practical guide to overcoming negative self-talk. Helmstetter's writing style is clear, engaging, and highly accessible, making even the most complex concepts easy to understand and apply.

One of the key takeaways from this book is the idea that negative self-talk is a self-reinforcing cycle that can be difficult to break without intentional effort. Helmstetter provides practical advice for identifying and challenging negative self-talk patterns, and offers insights into how individuals can develop a more positive and empowering mindset.

Another important theme in the book is the idea that changing negative self-talk requires a commitment to self-awareness and a willingness to take action to challenge negative beliefs and thought patterns. Helmstetter provides practical exercises and techniques for developing self-awareness and changing negative self-talk patterns, and offers insights into how individuals can develop a more positive and empowering self-image.

Overall, I highly recommend "Negative Self-Talk and How to Change It" to anyone interested in overcoming negative self-talk and developing a more positive and empowered mindset. The book is well-written, highly informative, and provides a wealth of practical advice and real-world examples that are sure to be helpful to anyone looking to become a more positive and fulfilled person.

[Joel Duncan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book review: I have rated this book pretty highly because it is short and tells you exactly how to change negative self talk. However, it misses a star because it doesn't provide any testimonies to show how it might impact people's lives. You have to just believe it will work. Also, it tries to sell a paid program to give you affirmations, which you can find online for free. It does recommend the most effective method for re-wiring your brain is listening to affirmations, but just get a Spotify track or YouTube and a good one will do the same thing. It doesn't say why their app is any better than audio affirmations from free providers (because it's not).

It boils down to: negative self talk is what you think about yourself and your brain is wired to accept these "truths" you tell yourself. It will remember and accept anything you tell it for at least a month. So listen to positive affirmations every day for a month (or longer) depending on how much you struggle with them and your brain will rewire these negative 'programs'. Lastly, your thoughts affect your feelings, your feelings affect your actions. So if you physically want to achieve more in life and not just mentally, listen to positive affirmations to begin your day.

Conclusion: we are, who we tell ourselves we are. There's no universal law of attraction (that the world gives us what we want because we want it) it's because we send our brains the message that we want to be confident, sexy, successful, rich etc and our bodies start to work towards making that happen. Once our mind believes it, that is the truth.

[Olivia Saman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Negative Self-Talk and How to Change It

Written by: Shad Helmstetter PhD
Narrated by: Douglas Martin

This was another really short book, written with a no BS kinda attitude. No fluff, just if u are taking negatively then this is how you change it. What I loved the most was that, he said that even though internal programming (how we talk to our selves) sometimes is from our childhood, it does not require years to change.... sometimes only weeks. That's great news!!!!

For my Liv's Book review, I give it a
📚📚📚📚 4/5 for storyline/content
🎨🎨🎨🎨 4/5 for narration

14 books read in 2020
36 books read in 2021
65 books read in 2022
70 books read in 2023

📚 Book number 12 in 2024 going to try and hit my 2020 books read, in January alone.... I've got 2 more books to read and only a few days to do it.🤞

Book number 199 Books since I started reading again in 2020.

Finished this book on the 28th of January 2024

Listened to this book mostly while walking and getting ready for the week. It was also a short book.

#livsbookreview #booksofinstagram #bookreviewsbyliv #booklover #Audible #audiobooksstillcount #bookstagram

[Alex Shaikh · Rating 3 out of 5]

There are excellent points in this book on how to change negative self-talk, that could positively change lives. And it is worth the money and a good read. However, this author coined the term Negative Self-Talk Disorder. Negative self-talk is not a disorder, disease or illness. The author missed an opportunity to explain that the brain is a 'threat detector', designed to keep us alive, survive. That's its primary job. Out of all the info out there, this is what I have learned. So, negative self-talk is a natural function of the brain to protect us from danger (real or imagined). One missing key is to get curious about our negative self-talk, and not label it as a 'disorder'. This is where I think the author did a disservice, by not emphasizing negative self-talk's purpose. It has a purpose. And it would have been extremely helpful to address negative self-talk in the context of our lives and not call it a disease...so to speak.

[Tim · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Your brain is designed to change. It is designed to rewire itself with new input.” This is almost a pamphlet more than a book. It’s less than 100 large type pages (and even has a 60-minute tag on the front). It briefly discusses negative and positive self-talk. It gives some clear examples and tells you that the brain can overwrite negative programs that are holding you back. There’s a quiz to help you know what specific areas that you need to focus on. Then it gives a pretty simple way to rewire the brain: listen to positive self-talk for 10 minutes a day for 3 weeks.
I know I can work on this and this book isn’t just to read and forget. It’s to take action and improve each day (even if only a little bit).
Recommended.

[Marc · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great short read that summarizes what is in his other amazing book, What To Say When You Talk To Yourself. This dudes books and self talk are life changing. I've been listening to his "Self Talk Plus" program daily for awhile now and it's turning into one of the most important things I do every day. Find myself more confident and sure of myself with my clients, happier in general, and more productive. Excited to see where this journey of positive thinking takes me - this coming from someone that used to proudly describe himself as a pessimist! HA.

[Rachel Young · Rating 2 out of 5]

It's an intro to self-talk - defines negative self talk, encourages you to pay attention to your self-talk, then replacing negative self-talk with positive statements, and suggests listening to 10 minutes of affirmations daily ... which you can purchase access to affirmations on his website ... how kind of him! 🤣

It was a quick read/listen - so I didn't expect it to cure cancer and create lasting world peace. And there are suggestions in here that are useful. It’s not bad info, it’s basic and to the point. And points to another hustle.

[Jon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nice, short introduction to Dr. Helmstetter's work. I appreciated the explanation of the foundation of his method, and he had quite a few really good things to say. The catch is that in order to enact the changes he argues are possible, you have to sign up for a paid service at his website. Don't get me wrong, it may well be a great investment, but it would have been nice to know that detail before reading the book.

[Aaron · Rating 3 out of 5]

More pamphlet than book, Helmstetter's treatise on how we talk about our selves and lives creates our reality. The fact that the book gets right to the heart of the matter without any filler makes this a much more desirable read over others in its field. I just didn't come feeling like I learned anything new. He does shill for his own website that offers Self-Talk audio affirmations. Some people get turned off by that, but he's not overly pitchy about it in this short read.

[Nina · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a super short audio book that could have been one chapter in his other book, “What to Say When You Talk to Yourself.” The point is really great though. What we tell ourselves constantly is true and everything we’ve absorbed, consciously or unconsciously, is now part of our programming. Will listen to/read his other book and do the work because I’ve caught myself on numerous occasions being cruel and highly critical of myself for no reason and I’d like to change that this year.

[Russell D · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's no secret most of us would be ready for fight if any person spoke to us the way we speak to ourselves! This book explains clearly what negative self-talk is, how it shows up, and what we can do about it. If you're looking for something short, sweet, and to the point on the subject, this is your book. There is good information to apply. but be warned, there is some marketing for other offerings in the book. It is not constant or repetitive as in other books I have read.

[Marinochkaleto · Rating 5 out of 5]

Profoundly important

This book has made me realize how much negative self-talk I've had and opened my eyes to the potential a positive self-talk can have on my self-esteem and even worldview. The author recommends self-talk institute as the best place to start working on one's positive self-talk. I hope it will be as transformative for me as it was for others. Recommend to read for everyone.

[Jennifer vallone · Rating 5 out of 5]

Eyeopener

Wow the awareness i have know is so amazing.this brought tremendous insight into how I was beating myself up with words out loud and internally. The new way of thinking positive is more natural immediately after hearing this special read the no you for that . Eternally grateful Jennifer☺☺

[Jamie Arias · Rating 5 out of 5]

Easy read and Actionable

I read a lot of self-help books and many of them provide a “pie-in-the-sky” solution with years of practice and coaching or therapy you might change. This book gives you an actionable plan to actually change a lifetime of negative programming and change you life.

[Steven Haiser · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quick read with some good info

Pushes his programs in the book quite a bit. You could probably record yourself saying the positive affirmations and play them back.
Nothing wrong investing a little in yourself to get better though.
I would recommend this book as an introduction to self talk. Easy to read and a quick read.

[Sara Beth · Rating 2 out of 5]

Some good information and things that I wrote down to remember, but for the most part he keeps repeating the same things over and over again. This book could have been 10 pages long if he would have cut out all the fluff. Reminded me of a child trying to use as many words as he can so they reach 1,000 on their book report.

[Emil · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good suggestions but initially a marketing tool

While the book offers good tips and suggestions in the area of self-talk, I found it to be more a marketing tool for Selftalkplus website that the author mentioned which is a paid audio program hence could not reap all the benefits from reading this book