Self Criticism
Question: Sometimes I feel like I am my own worst enemy. I am so critical of myself. What can I do?
Answer: It is true that often we can be our own harshest critics. There are lots of theories about why this is true, but for most of us, we just want to know how to change it! Each of us has an inner critic that can be useful to us as we evaluate problems or issues we need to confront. This is a good way to monitor and check our thinking before "blurting" out some comment or taking some action inappropriately. However, sometimes we give our inner critic too much power and we stop ourselves from being more creative or trying something new.
Here are some simple suggestions to help you recognize your inner critic and do something about it.
- Begin to notice when that "little negative voice" is in your head.
- Be curious about the message it is sending to you.
- Ask yourself if the voice sounds familiar.
- Consider what the "voice" says, but don't limit your options, play with all possibilities. The "voice" is only one voice.
- Remember the goal or desired outcome and visualize yourself achieving it.
- Turn the volume down on "the inner critic" by taking action.
These are just a few simple tools to get you started. If you want to explore this topic in more depth, I recommend a book entitled: Taming Your Gremlin, by Rick Carlson.
If you have a question about coaching or something that is concerning you at work, please email me at info@professionalgrowthservices.com. Identify it in the subject line as “Ask the Coach.”