INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Pep talks from others can be reassuring, but doctors emphasize the importance of self-encouragement and gaining your own perspective.

Engaging in a self-directed pep talk can help you explore different ways of thinking and motivate new behaviors.

Dr. Danielle Henderson, a clinical psychologist with IU Health, says it is important to validate your feelings and not expect everything to be perfect all the time.

“We can be really hard on ourselves. We can be our own worst critic and life can be hard,” she said.

Henderson notes that while this practice might feel awkward initially, you’ll become more comfortable with it over time. To manage your emotions, use a balanced approach by spending a few minutes alone to focus on your breathing, thoughts, and feelings.

When facing challenges, try reframing the situation by finding a potential positive angle, which can provide new perspectives and make difficulties more manageable.

“Sometimes we jump to a not-so-helpful conclusion or come up with the worst possible thought. Reframing gives us a moment to talk about what can be some other reasons this happened,” said Henderson.

Experts note that instead of dwelling on unfinished tasks, shift your focus to listing up to 10 actions you’ve completed and benefited from.

“Children, adults we can all see our peers and feel like they have it made like nobody’s struggling and everything seems to come a bit easier for others, but not for me, and that certainly just is not the case.”