Self-Communication

What is it?

General communication is defined as the exchange of information. There are many types of communication and they can fall into verbal and nonverbal categories.

Verbal:

• Laughing

• Crying

• Spoken Langauge

• Coughing/Wheezing

• The tone of voice (Assertiveness, dismissiveness)

Non-Verbal:

• Sign Language

• Body Language(Uncomfortable stances, fidgeting, jumping, clapping, etc.)

• Facial Expressions (Eye rolling, not paying attention, raised eyebrows, etc.)

• Written

• Eye contact

We communicate with many different people. Communicating to yourself is called Intrapersonal communication. It is communicating to yourself privately. Communicating with someone else is called interpersonal communication. Small group communication is with a small group of people, and public communication is with a large group of people. This article will focus on intrapersonal communication.

What's the stigma? For some reason, intrapersonal communication has a really big stigma around it. People often think that when someone talks to themselves, it is because they are crazy and a loner. This isn't true. In fact, most people talk out loud to themselves, and doing this is proven to be beneficial for your mental and physical well-being.

Why is it important?

Starting from a young age, talking to yourself improves motor and learning abilities. Talking to yourself helps you regulate your emotions because it helps you understand yourself better. Actively seeking out your likes and dislikes and communicating to yourself is important to self-understanding. Recognizing the things that make you upset is vital to bettering yourself.

How to actively implement it

• Control your emotions. This one can be hard, but anytime you get upset, start thinking about why. Think about why something made you upset and think about how to fix it.

• Keep a journal. Record your feelings or your emotions throughout the day. Reading it again afterward can help you understand yourself.

• Meditate

• Think before you act

A huge part of intrapersonal communication is to think about what works best for you. Use your thoughts more, and it will help you to articulate your feelings better.