You may be familiar with my friend "the inner critic"—in fact, you may have one, too.
It's a voice inside our heads that is up to no good, with the sole intention of undermining our self-esteem and fuelling our anxiety. Today, I want to discuss how we can reclaim our mental space from this harsh self-judgment and replace it with a kinder, more supportive inner dialogue.
You may or may not remember the carefree bliss of early childhood, a time before the inner critic found its voice. Our inner critic didn't always exist because it was formed from our perception of societal pressures and experiences.
Over time, the voice became more specific, knowing precisely what to say to push on our pain points. Just as it took time to develop your inner critic, it will require patience and practice to unlearn it.
The very first thing I did was practice my awareness. I had to become an expert at identifying when my inner critic was speaking—it can be sneaky, watch out. I simply practiced calling it out. I would quite literally say to myself, "Ah, there's my inner critic again."
Once I was really good at identifying my inner critic, I could actively choose to change the thought, also known as cognitive reframing. This technique helps you take negative thoughts and replace them with supportive ones. Click here for my FREE workbook on cognitive reframing.
Self-compassion is necessary throughout this process. It can be easy to shame our inner critic or get frustrated with the thoughts that arise, but ultimately, that won't serve us.
These are just the beginning steps to unlearn the development of our inner critic. If you're ready to dive deeper, inquire about wellness life coaching.
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With gratitude,
Christina DeFranco
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