You are probably aware of which unhelpful self-talk you experience. Look through the following and identify for yourself which ones will help you take charge and turn these negative unhelpful thoughts into helpful ones that will help you move forward.

• When I do my exercises I am taking control.
• Instead of asking ‘why’, it’s there, I can take action to manage it.
• I am in charge of my health.
• Relaxation is a natural painkiller.
• I can choose to stop before overdoing it.
• My pain is not damage.
• Pain flare-ups come but they also go away.
• Pain can be unpredictable but I can manage it whenever it comes.
• If I keep moving I will keep myself fit.
• Resting is not the best pain-management strategy.
• I can manage pain by persisting with tasks and using relaxation/breathing.
• I can choose the direction of my life.
• Pain is inevitable but not invincible.
• I don’t have to be perfect.
• I can talk myself through fear.
• Getting angry just makes the pain worse.
• I can breathe into my anger.
• When I am worried I can ask for help.
• Nobody else can take my pain away.
• I am the only person who can take action when pain happens.