3 Times We Criticize Ourselves And How We Can Stop

Is your glass half empty? No we’re not talking about your drink (but if it is, by all means, grab a refill!). We’re talking about your self-perception. If you’re like many people, you’re constantly burdened by your own negative inner voice that doesn’t seem to take a break. You tell yourself you’re not doing enough, you don’t have enough, and you aren’t good enough. It’s easy to do especially in today’s culture, with newsfeeds filled with filtered perceptions of beauty, success, and happiness. So what are the thoughts that plague us most often, and how do we stop them? 

1.  I’m not successful enough.
You feel like you should talk to your boss about more responsibility, but that negative chatter in your head is telling you you’re not ready. Instead of thinking about how you’re not qualified, think about how you are. It’s been said that a woman won’t go after a job if she has 6 out of the 8 skills listed because she feels she needs to have all of the skills to qualify. A man, on the other hand, will go after a job when he has only 2 out of the 8 skills listed. Own your power and take the step towards your success, even if it’s a little scary. 

2. I’m not a good enough, mother, daughter, wife, girlfriend.
Don’t get down on yourself for not living up to your expectations of what makes a great wife, mother, daughter, and so on. Instead, remind yourself that you are so fortunate to have them in your life, and make a conscious decision to remember this whenever your negative thoughts resurface. Realize that you are enough and you do enough.

3. I’m not attractive enough. 
It’s easy to look in the mirror and think you could look better. You get down on yourself because you don’t look the way you wish you looked. But this negativity isn’t helping; it’s just making you upset and discouraged. Give yourself a break. Let go of the perfectionist mentality, because it’s not realistic.