Silencing your Inner Critic

Sometimes it is easy to let our inner critic take over, providing increased levels of self-doubt, lower self esteem, and a decreased level of motivation. It can be challenging to combat this inner critic and overcome negative self-talk. While it is normal to experience negative self-talk occasionally, sometimes it can become a constant in our lives which can become exhausting. While combating negative self-talk is no easy task, being able to identify negative self-talk can also be difficult. Here are some examples of negative self-talk that can be more difficult to identify:

“I’ve never done this before.”

“It’s too complicated.”

“I’m not going to get any better at this.”

“I’m always going to be anxious.”

Once you identify negative self-talk you can begin the process of combating it, try some of the following tips to help silence your inner critic. 

Challenge the Thought

When you identify negative self-talk, evaluate the accuracy of the thought. Ask yourself questions such as “Is this based on fact?” and “Are these thoughts rational?”. By questioning the validity of these thoughts, you will find that a significant portion of negative self-talk is based on the assumptions we make about how others perceive us. 

Reframe the Thought

When you find yourself experiencing negative self-talk, try reframing the thought. Consider what the negative thought is and reframe it in a more positive way. Here is an example, instead of saying “I cannot do this” try saying “I will try my best to do this”. Overtime, this will help to reframe your thinking in a more positive way. 

Practice Mindfulness 

Take note of the thoughts you are having and accept what you are feeling at that moment. This will help to increase your self-awareness so that you can effectively combat your inner critic by challenging the thought and reframing it in a positive way. 

• Written by Joanna Simms, Undergraduate Intern