3 WAYS TO OVERCOME THE INNER CRITIC
“I’m so stupid”
“What on earth was I thinking!”
“I can never get it right.”
“Why can’t that be me?”
“My stomach is so big.”
“It’s always my fault.”
“If only I had that life.”
“They probably think I’m an idiot right now.”
“Why does this always happen to ME!.”
“There must be something wrong with me.”
“I’m not good enough.”
Does any of this sound familiar?
If your answer is yes, then I want to support you in letting go of that inner critic (AKA, “the Critical Inner Voice). There’s a little voice inside each and every one of us that will either motivate us forward toward greater opportunities or will set us back igniting resistance, distress, and disappointment. The voice that sets us back is the INNER CRITIC that I very much want you to be aware of.
There are so many demands placed on us as Mothers, Wives, Working Professionals, Daughters, Friends and any other role you may hold in society. We may get caught up with societal expectations and can lose sight of our authentic selves. That INNER CRITIC comes out and rather than inspiring us toward greatness, it sends us a very harsh and disheartening message. It sets us up for self-sabotage. We start to criticize ourselves for not being perfect, for not having the lives that others have, for not being as intelligent or pretty, for not being good enough, for having a different lifestyle or even different interests. That’s the INNER CRITIC for you! The intent of the inner critic is to place judgement, criticism and blame.
Today I want to offer you 3 ways to overcome the INNER CRITIC.
1. Recognize / Notice when the inner critic is making himself/herself known to you. You’ll know this by the inner dialogue that is happening in your head. Statements of self blame, negativity, self critique will emerge and may become increasingly louder & more persistent.
2. Resist the urge to react impulsively. Take a few breaths to calm yourself down while allowing your body and mind to connect. Reacting impulsively would cater to that inner critic, leaving you vulnerable to arguments, toxic situations, and unhealthy behaviors ( for example; overeating because you are frustrated with how you look OR overspending on clothing so that you could look better than your girlfriend).
3. Grab hold of a journal or a paper and begin writing down your INNER CRITIC comments. Next to the comments, write down compassionate and more realistic responses.
Here are 2 examples:
“I am stupid for trusting him.” INSTEAD write, “This is clearly hard for me however I know that I can overcome this pain that I’m feeling.”
“Why does this always happen to me?” INSTEAD write, “I can’t predict or control what will happen next but I can take control over how I will respond to anything that comes my way.
Remember to retake control of your thoughts and you will see yourself become stronger while that INNER CRITIC becomes weaker.
Candida R. Diaz, LCSW-R is the Founder of Face to Face Counseling and Psychotherapy, where she specializes in helping & supporting Women to create a Thriving Life for themselves. For more information, visit https://www.facetofacecounseling.com/
