How To Overcome Your Negative Inner Critic

The negative inner critic in your mind starts getting loud when you’re trying to step outside your comfort zone.  It just wants to keep you safe.  But, that limits what you’re able to do.  It ultimately prevents you from achieving your goals and dreams in life.  Stop letting that negative voice paralyze you.  Here is how to overcome your negative inner critic.

Take Responsibility

First, acknowledge that the inner critic is you.  It’s not someone else.  It’s not an alter ego or a bad part of you.  It’s simply you.  When you recognize that this voice is truly yours, you have the power to change it.  The voice may have been formed by things that you’ve heard others say.  But, you have repeatedly told yourself these things which have made them your own.  By taking ownership of this inner critic, you are admitting that you’re 100% responsible for either believing or not believing what that voice is telling you.  Take responsibility and change the direction your life is headed in by overcoming your negative inner critic that’s been holding you back.

Would You Say This To Someone Else?

Next, hear what your inner critic is saying.  Usually it’s mean, harsh, negative things that make you feel small and unworthy.  Ask yourself if you’d say these things to someone else.  Preferably, to someone close to you that you truly care about.  If you wouldn’t say these things to someone else, why would you say them to yourself?  Normally, it’s because it is easy and you fall back into old habits or patterns.  But, again, you have the power to change that response.  Catch yourself and notice when you’re hearing that negative inner critic saying things that you wouldn’t say to someone else.

Soften The Inner Critic

Then, make that negative voice softer by reframing it.  Listen to your inner critic and write down what it’s trying to tell you.  There’s a purpose behind it.  Express all your fears, worries, and doubts on paper.  Then, decide how you can ease and combat each one.  Perhaps that’s by preparing yourself for the worst case scenario.  Addressing your deeper underlying concerns will quiet your negative inner critic and help you to continue moving forward in order to achieve your goal.

Your Choice

The choice is yours, you can either allow your negative inner critic to hold you back and never try again.  Or, you can learn and get better so that you can keep working towards achieving your goal.  You must decide what’s more important to you.  Staying safe in your comfort zone or achieving your goal.  Your inner critic just wants to protect you from all the bruises that happen by stepping outside your comfort zone.  Don’t let your negative inner critic hold you back from the greatness that’s in store for you.  Take back your power and choose to overcome your negative inner critic.

The only way you’re going to overcome your negative inner critic is by first acknowledging that it’s there and taking responsibility for what it’s saying.  By doing so, you take back your power.  You have the power to change what that negative inner critic is saying.  Next, ask yourself if you would talk to someone else you care about like that.  If not, you’ve got your answer.  You say a lot of mean things to yourself.  But, you have the power to change it.  Lastly, soften the inner critic by finding ways to defuse the fear, worry, and doubt.  Your inner critic just wants to protect you.  But, it has an awful way of doing so.  Use these tools to help you overcome your negative inner critic so that you step outside your comfort zone and achieve your goals.