Don’t let your brain play tricks on you.
Youre not good enough.
You always screw things up.There it isthat negative voice popping up once again.
You know, the one inside your mind constantly highlighting your shortcomings, mistakes, and perceived flaws?
Some days its silent, and other times its so loud that it feels impossible to shut it up.
Everyone has an inner critic.
clinical associate professor of psychiatry at New York Presbyterian Hospital
Its basically a voice of our deepest fears, beliefs, andinsecurities.
But this internal monologue shouldnt be a constant presence in your mind.
What is your inner critic?
So, wait, what is an inner critic again?
Its perfectly okay to reflect on your thoughts, behaviors, and actions.
Where does an inner critic come from?
The inner critic doesnt appear overnight, Leonard says.
Its shaped by experiences, beliefs, and messages we absorb throughout life.
Some of us develop an inner critic from childhood.
clinical associate professor of psychiatry at New York Presbyterian Hospital
If you were punished for making mistakes, you may have internalized the belief that youre less worthy.
Aside from life setbacks, mental health conditions likedepressioncan also create an inner critic.
Leonard notes that people living with depression experience pervasive negative thoughts of hopelessness and failure, which reinforce self-criticism.
The same goes with people with anxiety disorders.
Anxiety fuelsoverthinking, making self-criticism even louder, he adds.
Dr. Saltz saysperfectionistsandthose with low self-esteemare also more likely to have a loud inner critic.
But your inner critic is not an innate behaviorit’s a learned one.
Become aware of your thoughts and challenge them
You cant stop a behavior without first identifying it.
And when youdoacknowledge them for what they are, challenge them.
Use positive but realistic self-talk
Positive self-talkis important, but it doesnt really work when you dont believe it.
So, dont let that happen.
Make a point of saying positive affirmations.
you could ground yourself through meditation (movement meditationis a great option!)
or by differentbreathing exercises, such as the 4-7-8 breathing technique or box breathing.
And well mess up again because thats just how life is.
But these mistakes arent failures, and we shouldnt treat them like they are.
Mistakes are life lessons and opportunities for us to grow.
So, its important to reframe your negative thoughts appropriately.
This shift in thinking helps build resilience rather than reinforcing self-doubt.
It cant be rainbows and sunshineallthe time.
Don’t know where to start?
you’re free to also check out theAmerican Psychological Association’s Psychologist Locatorto find a provider near you.
The bottom line
Your inner critic is a habit you might break, but it takes time.
You didnt learn it in one day, so it wont be gone in one day, either.
This is why its important to be consistent with identifying these thoughts and challenging them.
Sometimes, we cant reframe our minds alone, and we need some helpand that’s okay.
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