Self Criticism

Put Yourself out of the Self Inflicted Misery

Self criticism is the act of passing judgment or finding fault with your own actions and behaviors. Usually, it is not positive reinforcement and often contributes to low self esteem. Therefore, if you are critical of yourself, be careful.

You are probably your own worst enemy and Critic. As a matter of fact, your self value is probably taking a beating from unrelenting negative thoughts and feedback. You should shudder at these words: criticize, condemn, and complain, because your internal self talk is being negatively influenced. Remember, we live and become what we think about most. See the following examples:

Critical Self Talk:

• "I am so stupid. Why did I do that?"

Condemning Self Talk:

• "I messed up again. Dumb, dumb dumb."

Complaining Self Talk:

• "How do I find myself in these situations? This sucks!"

The point is you really have to be aware of how you criticize yourself. If you are too self critical it becomes a habit that subconsciously reinforces negative thoughts. Replace your negative feedback with constructive feedback. Also view your actions and behaviors from a positive perspective focusing on how you can positively build upon an action or behavior to do better.

Constructive Feedback examples:

• "What can I do differently to get the results I need?"
• "I gave it a good try. Next time I will......"

Always focus on building up instead of tearing down. It will make for a clearer path towards success.

Related Self Esteem Articles

• Self Respect

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