Personal Propaganda: Taming Our Internal Monologue

January 16, 2009

Propaganda is the selective presentation of facts. The propagandist creates a simple story and repeats it often, with the deliberate intent of shaping beliefs and, consequently, behaviors. Hitler’s message was a clear example of how systematic propaganda can make otherwise rational individuals believe the most absurd “facts.”

I believe what often gets us in trouble is our own internal propaganda. Perhaps because of events that happened to us long ago, we created a simplistic, negative message about ourselves, and repeated it often. Most of us practice the opposite of daily affirmations, with phrases like:

I’m a loser. I’m not smart. I’m no good. I’m fat and lazy. I don’t deserve to be loved. I’ll never amount to anything.

If we believed just ONE of these short sentences and played it repeatedly in our heads, the power of suggestion would eventually make it seem true, and we would behave accordingly. The beauty of this is, no matter how long that little ditty has played in our heads, we can always re-write our own simple narrative.

If we are going to be selective in the “facts” we choose to believe, then let’s at least choose things that make us feel good about ourselves; shall we? At first it may not ring true; but if, like a determined propagandist, we are systematic and deliberate in repeating our new message, one day we will come to believe it, and act accordingly. What a lovely day that will be!

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Posted in bad habits, compulsions, happiness