Oftentimes, certain situations make us self-doubt and afraid of failing. In retrospect, the doubts usually turn out to be completely unfounded. We will therefore show you how to silence your inner critic in just a few steps.
Self-doubt can prevent us from realizing our goals – and, even worse: The doubts that constantly gnaw at us put a huge strain on the psyche in the long run. Those who often convince themselves that they can’t do something are less likely to take on new challenges as a result.
Self-doubt comes on all of a sudden. Those who often suffer from self-doubt often feel paralyzed by them. But getting out of the spiral of self-doubt requires motivation and a burst of energy – not so easy when your mind is spinning. We’ll tell you three tricks with which you can declare war on self-doubt.
1. Recognize self-criticism
The first and most important point to get out of self-criticism is to recognize that you are making yourself bad. Observing and questioning your own thoughts takes practice and mindfulness, but it can be learned.
Do you notice that self-doubt is creeping in? Then take a moment to breathe deeply and do two things:
- Stop what you are doing for a moment and take a deep breath.
- Ask yourself: Am I self-critical right now? Is my inner critic showing up?
Sometimes it can be helpful to ask yourself how a stranger would view the situation. In this way, one escapes one’s own narrowing point of view and can get a neutral picture.
2. Deal with your inner critic
At the beginning it is important to deal honestly with self-doubt. Nevertheless, try to observe your critical voice and recognize patterns. It may appear whenever you are pressed for time. So you can take targeted action against it.
There is a technique in psychology in which the inner voice of the critic is personified. So it can help to give the self-doubt voice a name and be able to address it directly.
Once you realize you’re in the midst of self-doubt, ask yourself:
- What does my critical voice want to tell me? What does my critical voice ask of me?
- What emotion is behind the critical voice?
3. Think positively
Self-critical thoughts can increase quickly and then become a real negative spiral. Anyone who wants to break out of the spiral should be indulgent.
Ask yourself the following questions to get out of the negative spiral:
- What would I recommend to a friend if they were in the same situation? Can I say these words to myself too?
- How would I speak to the girlfriend? Can I strike this tone with myself?
- How would I help the girlfriend? Can I help myself in this way too?
Don’t despair if you don’t get rid of the self-criticism right away. It takes a lot of practice to master these methods – and you don’t have to get rid of the self-criticism completely.
Be forgiving and understanding with yourself and give yourself enough time in this task to try out the methods and slowly internalize them.
This article first appeared on FIT FOR FUN.
