Absolutely critical! I’ve been working on “this stuff” for decades, and I confirm: What we say to ourselves is absolutely critical. I was given a pretty journal once, which I decided I’d use only to name one thing (or more) each night that I was grateful for: good health, good weather, my cat, a friendly face. I also quit saying “I can’t” do certain things, like remember names; instead, I said, “I’m working on remembering names better.” Today, despite a life that I once thought was the most tragic in the entire world, I’m becoming more functional again and am happy most days. Thank you, Kathy, for these important words.