Quieting the Inner Critic

What do you say to yourself every day? Is it a negative inner dialogue? What you tell yourself becomes a “soundtrack” in your mind and influences how you view relationships and achievements. If this soundtrack is negative, it can lead to depression and anxiety. Thoughts such as “I am a bad person” or “I am not deserving of love” are very painful. The first step to quieting the inner critic is self-acceptance and self-compassion. The practices of meditation, yoga, and relaxation exercises connect the mind and body and lead to self-compassion. Research has found higher levels of self-esteem are linked to higher levels of relationship satisfaction, job satisfaction, salary and physical health.

Source: Meyers, L. (2014). Quieting the inner critic. Counseling Today, 56(8), 37-43.