Michael J. Russ's Powerful Self-Talk CD is an exciting, dynamic production with upbeat, energizing background music. The CD covers the core elements for understanding
and facilitating the willful, conscious power of positive, purposeful, and supportive self-
talk. The author identifies some of the pitfalls of self-defeating thinking and possible links
to poor goal performance. Negative self-talk often unnecessarily limits personal motivation, reduces confidence, dampens commitment, and weakens self-esteem. Russ's imagery and examples of specific, goal-oriented, and pro-active self-talk provide behavioral models
for listening, rehearsing, and applying them to one's daily objectives and life goals.
The author recommends increasing our awareness of incompatible ways and habitual
thinking tendencies that upset us and get us down on ourselves in order to assess and
eliminate the more devastating judgements in the process. He advocates targeting these
self-defeating thoughts and moods that seem to thwart our abilities and energies to follow
through with the behavior necessary to meet desired goals. Each individual listening to
this CD is asked to capture their negative thoughts and emotions (e.g., "I'm tired. I'm
stupid. I can't find a partner. I'm worthless...") and reframe them into "here and now"
opportunities to experience healthy, uplifting imagery, alternative positive decisions,
empowering affirmations, and assertive verbal utterances that begin "I am ___________.
I can do ___________. I will __________."
Powerful Self-Talk potentially enables listeners to consciously plan and manage their
days. They can produce, direct, and perform desired self-talk scripts and social roles applicable
to daily presentations, relationships, and problematic situations. First, you rehearse what you clearly want to do. Second, you practice for specific situations and repeat short scripts that
you value and will take responsibility for the selected thoughts and consequent actions. Third,
you notice how your thoughts become more focused and consistent with selected paths to behavioral objectives. Finally, by making and accepting now more consistent thoughts, you
facilitate, and will expect, emergent behavior to follow into more rewarding habits for any
given setting or collection of challenging situations. One is asked to reclaim, prioritize, value, and connect on a daily basis their ideal self and esteem with their most meaningful thoughts, rewarding actions, and goals.
I enjoyed listening to this fast moving, informative CD. I highly recommend this excellent, introductory CD on self-talk for any one interested in really "walking their talk" into more focused, direct, and meaningful cognitive-behavioral changes. Changing one's life experiences, will change one's thoughts, and as the author states, "Change Your Self-Talk, Change Your Life."