5 Powerful Ways to Silence your Inner Critic

This was a guest post by Lara Zibarras for Been There

Understanding Your Inner Critic

We all have an inner critic. You know the one? The nagging, internal voice that questions whether we are good enough.

The inner critic that’s relentless in highlighting our flaws and undermining our confidence. For some, this critical voice becomes overwhelming, especially when dealing with body image issues or disordered eating.

And because your inner critic thrives on self-doubt and negativity, it’s hard to see beyond the constant internal chatter focused on your perceived imperfections. 

The Impact of Your Inner Critic

Your inner critic manifests in many ways and impacts mental and physical health. When your inner critic becomes very loud, it erodes your self-worth and self-esteem, making you feel inadequate and unworthy of love or respect. This kind of harsh self-talk can make you feel anxious and depressed. 

It perpetuates a cycle of disordered eating and negative body image. Someone struggling with negative body image might hear their inner critic say, “You’re not thin enough,” which then triggers “You don’t deserve to eat.” This then perpetuates harmful behaviours and prevents or slows down recovery.

At its worst, your inner critic becomes crippling – you might get to the point where things become meaningless, so you procrastinate with minor tasks and then start to avoid socialising altogether.

Read the full article here for 5 strategies to silence your inner critic…