Self-Criticism
Self-criticism involves how an individual evaluates oneself.
Self-criticism in psychology is typically studied and discussed as a negative personality trait in which a person has a disrupted self-identity.
The opposite of self-criticism would be someone with a coherent, comprehensive, and generally positive self-identity.
Self-criticism is often associated with major depressive disorder.
Some theorists define self-criticism as a mark of a specific type of depression (introjective depression).
Generally, people with depression tend to be more self-critical than those without depression.
People with depression are typically higher on self-criticism than people without depression, and even after depressive episodes, they will continue to display self-critical personalities.
Pay attention to your thoughts
You're so used to hearing your narration that it's easy to become oblivious to the messages you're sending yourself.
Start paying close attention to your thoughts, and you may discover that you call yourself names or talk yourself out of doing hard things.
It's estimated that you have around 60,000 thoughts per day. So that's 60,000 chances to either build yourself up or tear yourself down.
Recognizing your thought patterns is critical to understanding how your thinking affects your life.
Change the channel
While problem-solving is helpful, ruminating is destructive.
You'll drag yourself down when you repeatedly repeat a mistake in your head or can't stop thinking about something terrible that happened.
The best way to change the channel is by getting active.
Find an activity that will temporarily distract you from the negative tapes playing in your head.
Go for a walk, call a friend to discuss a different subject, or tackle a project you've been putting off.
But refuse to sit and listen to your brain beat you up.
Examine the evidence
Your thoughts aren't always accurate and are often exaggeratedly negative.
So it's essential to examine the evidence before you believe your thoughts.
If you think, "I'm going to embarrass myself when I give that presentation," pause for a minute.
Take a piece of paper and write down all the evidence indicating you will fail.
Then, list all the proof that you aren't going to die.
Looking at the evidence on both sides can help you look at the situation a little more rationally and less emotionally.
Reminding yourself that your thoughts aren't 100 percent true can boost confidence.
Replace exaggeratedly negative thoughts with realistic statements
When you recognize that your negative thoughts aren't entirely true, try replacing those statements with something more realistic.
If you think, "I'll never get a promotion," a suitable replacement statement might be, "If I work hard and keep investing in myself, I may get promoted someday."
You don't need to develop unrealistic statements; overconfidence can be almost as damaging as serious self-doubt.
But a balanced, realistic outlook is key to becoming mentally stronger.
Consider how bad it would be if your thoughts were true
It's tempting to envision a misstep becoming an utter catastrophe, but often the worst-case scenario isn't as bad as we fear.
If you predict you will get rejected for a job, ask yourself how bad that would be.
Rejection stings, but it's not the end of the world.
Reminding yourself that you can handle tough times increases your confidence.
It can also decrease the dread and worrisome thoughts that can stand in your way.
Ask yourself what advice you'd give to a friend.
It's often easier to be compassionate toward others than yourself.
For example, while you might call yourself an idiot for making a mistake, it's unlikely you'd say that to a loved one.
When you're struggling with tough times or doubting your ability to succeed, ask yourself,
"What would I say to a friend who had this problem?"
Then, offer yourself those kind, wise words.
Balance self-improvement with self-acceptance
There's a difference between telling yourself you're not good enough and reminding yourself there's room for improvement.
Accept your flaws for what they are right now while committing to progress in the future.
Although it sounds a bit counterintuitive, you can do both simultaneously:
You might accept that you feel anxious about an upcoming presentation at work while also deciding to improve your public speaking skills.
Accept yourself for who you are right now while investing in becoming an even better version of yourself.