Take a moment to reflect on what your self-talk scores revealed about how you speak to yourself.

Encouraging self-compassion in your self-talk during more challenging moments, which let’s face it, can come thick and fast in retirement, is key. It’s easy to be self-critical when faced with challenges in retirement, but being kind to yourself can transform how you approach them.

If terms like compassion and kindness have never been part of your vocabulary, think of them as ‘going easy on yourself’ and ‘giving yourself a break’; they mean the same thing.

Self-compassion and kindness aren’t excuses to avoid accountability, either, just in case you were tempted to see them pejoratively; they’re central to creating a supportive internal dialogue that builds resilience and growth rather than undermining them.

One of the most effective ways to understand what you need from yourself now and in the future is to look back on moments when your self-talk made a difference to you.

Reflect on two or three times when your inner dialogue, what you told yourself or how you spoke to yourself, helped you through a challenge, shaped a decision, or positively influenced how you felt about a situation.

”I want self-talk that helps me stay steady when plans change.”

”I want to speak to myself with the same patience and respect I show others.”

”I want my inner dialogue to remind me that progress, not perfection, is what matters.”

”I want fewer critical, circular thoughts and more that focus on realistic action.”