What do you look at this photo? Perhaps you think I’m on top of the world! Maybe you recognize the landscape or just that I am happy! That’s not what I see when I look at this photo. All I see is my stomach and how overweight I look. My inner critic quickly picks me apart. I had to work hard not to delete this photo when I saw it.
When my inner critic is in control it gives harsh judgments and finds faults. It only sees my weaknesses. In this case, my weight. What does your inner critic focus on?
When my inner critic is in control, I am in the mist of low self-esteem. I feel like I am running in water. I must work harder to make progress and I doubt each step I take. When I am focusing on my negative traits it makes them stronger/bigger. For example, when I focus on being over-weight I eat more of the wrong things. Getting down on myself makes things worse! I need to silence the inner critic!
I struggle to silence my inner critic, because I see the importance of learning from the past. Then I realize there is a huge difference between self-reflection and my inner critic. The inner critic is looking in the mirror and seeing the imperfections. It says things to myself that I would never dream of saying to anyone else.
Self-reflection is recognizing the positives and what can be improved. It is a realistic look at the situation. It is an honest conversation that you could have with a friend. If I look at this photo with self-reflection I would remember the confidence I had as I climbed up the rocks. I would see the peace and happiness on my face as I enjoyed this vacation with my husband. I would realize I could lose some weight to feel better about myself.
Self-reflection is a realistic look at the whole situation. Not just focusing on the negative. It is liking MOST of myself! Being able to build on my strengths is beneficial to my mental health and my peace of mind. It helps me approach a weakness with a more realistic plan, ready to slowly make improvements. I realize as I silenced my inner critic! I am on top of the world.
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