Say It Out Loud

Book excerpt: USE VERBAL PROMPTS AND PRACTICES TO BECOME THE PERSON YOU WANT TO BE When wellness star Vasavi Kumar suggests “saying it out loud,” she means it literally. Years of journaling in an attempt to learn about herself and meet her goals hadn’t worked, so she decided to talk to herself instead, out loud and with the compassion of a best friend. She used this technique as she journeyed through the challenges of being the daughter of Indian immigrants, a bipolar diagnosis, substance abuse, and recovery. Along the way, Vasavi learned that all the outside expert guidance in the world was no substitute for finding ways of tuning in to her truest inner self, hearing that self’s guidance and wisdom, and then living it with resilience and empathy. In Say It Out Loud, she gives simple verbal prompts to help you voice your deepest desires and reframe negative self-talk so you can heal from past experiences, go after your dreams, and become more intentional, focused, and compassionate.