Are you often hard on yourself? Does your inner critic scream louder than any other person you know? Having a strong inner critic can significantly affect your mental health and overall well-being. While it can be good to hold yourself to high standards, you also need to learn that mistakes are normal and perfection is unobtainable. Here are a few different ways to stop being your own harshest critic.
Be Your Own Best Friend
Talk to yourself like you would talk to your own best friend. If you had a friend who was struggling, you would remind them of their worth. You would also probably remind them of how great they are and their talents. Why speak to yourself any differently? Practice talking kindly to yourself and giving yourself grace if you make a mistake or if something does not go as planned.
Stay In the Moment
Stay in the moment and acknowledge your feelings as you feel them. What is triggering each specific feeling and emotion you are experiencing? Are other people involved? Staying in the moment can help you learn how to respond to situations in an emotionally healthy way.
Keep a Journal
Journaling can be a great exercise to get your feelings out. Having an outlet where you feel safe to express yourself can be a great thing. Use your journal to write about your day, what you feel, or what you are experiencing. Writing in a journal regularly can help you notice patterns in your behavior and thought processes.
Challenge the Negativity
If you feel negatively toward yourself, hit the pause button and think through that negativity. Learning to challenge negativity can be challenging. Work with your therapist to better understand what you are feeling and which skills would be most beneficial in working through those feelings in a healthy way. When you can better understand your negativity, you will feel more in control of your emotions and how your emotions affect you.
Having a strong inner critic can be challenging to work through. Learning to understand your mental health issues is a great place to start. Some may benefit from speaking kindly to themselves and journaling their feelings, while others may find that challenging negativity and staying in the moment is a good course to take. Here at The Guest House, we understand that everyone is on an individual road and will need support personalized for them. We are here for you. Call us today at (855) 483-7800 to learn more about our treatment options.