Stop Being Mean to Yourself!

Almost everyone has that little nagging critic that sits in the back of their head telling them all the ways they did something wrong. This critic judges you, nags you, belittles you and constantly tells you why you are not good enough. We give this little critic a lot of power, so much power that the little critic becomes a very big critic. At the surface, this critic can be useful. It can make you want to strive for greatness or propel you to be better. However, too much of that little critic can cause damage to your self-esteem, create anxiety or stop you from doing something because of fear. Here are two tips on how to quiet that inner critic:
 
1.Be aware of the critic 
For most of us, we have made a lifelong habit of letting the little critic speak out of turn. The little critic becomes automatic. In order to quiet the little critic, it is necessary to slow down and pay attention to what is being thought. Examining thoughts will allow you to recognize if the little critic is at work.  One clue that the little critic is at work is when feelings of shame, guilt or doubt surface. 
 
2.Become your own best friend
To combat the little critic is treat yourself how you would treat your best friend. If you would not say it to that lovely human you call your best friend, then why is it okay to say it to yourself? It is important to break that automatic thought by replacing that thought with something more positive. In order to let that positive thought sink in, provide yourself with examples of how great you are to prove to the little critic that it is wrong. 
 
Like all practices, you may mess up or miss an opportunity to quiet the critic. However, the more you practice the better you will become at silencing that little nagging critic.