This ‘very easy’ mindset shift is proven to boost mental toughness and resilience, psychologists say

A self-immersed perspective amplifies the emotional aspects of the situation. Our world narrows and we get drawn into the emotionality of the experience, setting ourselves up for the negative cascade toward choosing the “easy path” in our toughness paradigm.

We are also likely to see the situation as a threat and get locked in on any details that might trigger danger.

On the opposite end, according to researchers from the University of Michigan, using second- or third-person pronouns (eg, “You can do 20 pushups. You’ve done it before,” or “[Your name] and her team can finish this presentation. They are all so talented.”) creates space and a self-distracted perspective.

When we create psychological distance, our view of the world broadens. We can let go of the emotionality — seeing the world clearly for what it is, instead of letting it spiral.

Put another way, we transform into that friend giving advice, not blinded by our connection to the issue.

Using second- or third-person language in your self-talk creates distance between an experience and our emotional response. This linguistic trick allows us to zoom out.

When we broaden our worldview beyond a self-immersed world, we move from emotional reaction to action.

So the next time you’re in a stressful situation and in need of motivation, instead of saying to yourself “I can get through this,” say “[Your name] can get through this.”

Or, even better, put yourself in the shoes of someone you admire: “Spider-Man can overcome this. He always does.”