Freud’s model of the psyche teaches us, the id is the primitive and instinctual part of the mind. It contains the sexual and aggressive drives along with hidden memories. The super-ego operates as a moral conscience. The ego is the realistic part that mediates between the desires of the id and the super-ego.

Ego as the bridge

It seems to me that the ego has a tough time bridging the id and super-ego into a balanced existence. What happens when the ego is out of balance? Are you even aware that your ego is no longer aligned? Self-talk becomes distorted when the ego is out of balance.

It’s important that we maintain the ego and make repairs promptly. How do you know when repairs are needed on the ego?

Signs that your ego is on the low side

When one has low self-esteem the self-talk can be rather brutal. Compassion is not something we extent to ourselves during times of low self-esteem. Self-talk becomes harsh and abusive.

I’m not going into a textbook explanation on low self-esteem, but I want you to be able to identify when you have dropped into this form of self abuse.

Some of the symptoms include: apologizing too much, reluctant to express disagreement with others, fearful of making mistakes, unable to recognize when you have done a good job, and the list goes on…

What is the conversation you have with yourself?

How could I be so stupid? I should have known what the outcome would be! I’m just a nobody who can’t do anything right!

Critical self-talk can result in physical symptoms of fatigue, depression, stomachache, headache, sleep disturbances, just to name a few of the problems.

When you continually beat yourself up you may find that your body will respond by feeling weighed down. You may become suicidal. Illness may show up as stomach ulcers, insomnia and migraines.

Remember, what you continually tell yourself will show up in your life. We believe our self-talk even when it’s not true.

Super sized ego

The know-it-all, we have all dealt with them in our life times. This individual can be like a steamroller. They roll right over you leaving all kinds of destruction in their path.

The super sized ego shows up as one who has to be right in every situation. This ego is over demanding, angry, has an inflated sense of self-worth. One becomes critical of other people seeing a distorted image of others as that person is being stupid. This ego thinks they are the only ones who have the answer in any given situation.

Physical symptoms of a super sized ego

Some of the ways this super sized ego can affect your health includes being irrational and angry most of the time. When one is angry most of the time, you may find that your blood pressure is high. You may need to take medication to control your blood pressure. Heart disease can become a problem and you’re at a higher risk for stroke.

The super sized ego can have sleep disturbances and experience depression just like the ego with low self-esteem.

How do we align the ego?

Pay attention to your self-talk. Once you recognize that you’re being overly critical either of yourself or others, it’s time for maintenance. How does one align their ego?

Once you have recognized that your ego is out of alignment, pay attention to your inner dialogue you’re having with yourself. Try to identify the trigger point that brought you out of alignment. Was it brought on because of over doing and not taking time for yourself? Have you not taken the time to nurture yourself?

Once you realize that you’re out of alignment with your ego, schedule time for yourself. Take a walk in nature. When we are in nature, we are able to reconnect with Mother Earth. It’s important for us to feel the frequency of the earth’s vibrational hum. All living creatures are in need to feel the earth’s vibrations to stay healthy.

Take time to quieten the mind. Turn off all the noise around you such as the TV, radio, computers… Disconnect from the distractions of social media. Meditate even if it’s only for a few minutes. Be in the moment. The past is over and the future is yet to be written. In reality, now is all that we have.

Self-talk for healing

Every thought is a prayer. It is. What your mind dwells on is what you will attract into your life. Our thoughts will magnify our reality.

Nurture yourself. Show compassion to yourself. Cut yourself some slack. Make it a point to think about the good things that happened in your day. Look in the mirror and just smile at yourself. Be honest about how hard it is to allow yourself to love you. Self love is not being conceded.

It’s important for you to say, “I don’t know how to show compassion to me. I want to love myself, but I don’t know how to start.”

Start by just smiling at yourself. That’s all one needs to do. As you smile more at you, it will become easier to see the positive side that’s been hidden away. Allow the positive thoughts to surface. It’s ok to say, “I did a good job on that project.”

Everyone has attributes that are positive. Everyday list at least ten positive things about yourself. Each day it will become easier. It’s ok to say, “I love myself.” It’s not only ok, but necessary for good mental and emotional health.

Resources

If you are struggling with emotions of anger, bitterness, guilt, depression get my book:

Guilty Prayers by Janet Lynas, Ph.D., N.H.D. on Amazon or Kindle.