The Power of Self Acceptance, Embracing Who You Are.

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This used to be how my inner monologue sounded. I am aware that I am not alone. It appears that the majority of us suffer from excessive self-criticism. You think negatively of yourself and say critical, pessimistic, and discouraging things to yourself if you have a severe inner critic or are extremely critical of yourself. You minimize your accomplishments and qualities while emphasizing your flaws.

The self-esteem is undermined by criticism. Shame and pessimism follow. Rejecting criticism does not make us better, despite what the general public believes. The fight-flight-freeze response caused by anxiety is activated, which actually reinforces negative self-beliefs and makes it difficult for us to acquire new behaviors. I would therefore probably advise you to keep the distance if your parent, spouse, or boss was being unmerciful with you. However, it is more difficult to resolve the issue when the criticism arises from within you. You are obviously addicted to your own voice. Hence, we must develop the ability to think differently.

Our judgment is a skill that is acquired. You could (subconsciously or consciously) believe that you deserve criticism if you were chastised a lot as a child. You begin to believe things when you are often told you're obese, foolish, or lazy. If you find yourself criticizing oneself because it feels right and natural, you may start doing the job of your parents, teachers, or other childhood critics even after they have lost their influence.

Ill-founded expectations are the source of criticism. Our irrational expectations lead us to blame ourselves as well. Unknowingly, self-criticism stems from the idealistic and unachievable ideals of perfectionism, which include the conviction that mistakes are unavoidable and that your efforts are never sufficient. I was always able to find something to be critical of myself for because of my perfectionism. It's a fact that, when you put oneself beneath a microscope and only look for signs of inadequacy, you will always find mistakes and evidence of your inferiority. In other words, you are discarding all evidence that shows you are adequate, normal, or on par with everyone else.

CHANGE YOURSELF CRITICISM TO SELF-ACCEPTANCE.

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It can be a difficult journey from self-criticism to self-acceptance. It calls on us to confront our pessimistic ideas and take into account the fact that we have been living for years on false assumptions, conflicting ideas, and irrational expectations. It calls for us to let go of the ideas that self-criticism is warranted and constructive.

These concepts will help you get started:

1 . See the good things in life and work on developing a more impartial self-image: Make a conscious effort to acknowledge your efforts, growth, and areas of strength. Writing down the good things in your life, thinking about them, and allowing them to settle in is the ideal way to make the most of this practice.

2 . Face your inner critic head-on:
Not every notion we have is true, and you may filter out the false ones by asking probing questions to make sure they are true. To help you produce more correct ideas, try asking yourself questions like, "What would I say to myself if I was less judgmental and self-compassionate?" while you're having a self-critical thinking.

3 . Develop positive self-talk techniques:
You will eventually be able to substitute your critical thoughts about yourself with supportive self-talk. But initially, you might not become aware of a self-critical thinking until after you've experienced it. If so, learn how to think how you want to think by practicing self-compassion after the fact. One should gently remind themselves, "What I meant to think/say is that it's okay to make mistakes." Everyone has forgotten things crucial at home, so I'm not that stupid. I don't have to punish myself for it to make it more difficult.
Example, My perfection is not required, I'm stressed; I'm not stupid, or anything like that.

4 . Remind yourself of the things you needed to hear when you were younger: Speaking with your inner child is a different take on the previously mentioned exercise. Consider the younger you, the little child who experienced rejection from others. What was it that he or she longed to hear? What words would have reassured and comforted her/him? What could have strengthened her/him instead of undermining them? I've distributed some examples below.

You should receive polite treatment.
You are wonderful in your current state.
It's not necessary to take the views of others as gospel.
You don't need to be flawless. Making mistakes is acceptable.

5 . Let acceptance of oneself take precedence over improvement of oneself:
Self-improvement has its place, no doubt, but when we limit ourselves to it, we run the risk of feeling inadequate and prone to self-criticism. Despite the fact that it may sound regressive, accepting who we are is a prerequisite for improvement. Stated differently, improving oneself does not lead to self-acceptance. Personal growth is facilitated by self-acceptance. Accepting who I am does not negate my desire or need to change. It indicates that I recognize my shortcomings and limits as I am right now. While I acknowledge my current self, I also want to continue learning, developing, and getting better.

I developed a love relationship with myself and stopped being so critical of myself as I began to accept who I was. I could also change once I stopped criticizing myself and began to accept who I was. I felt more at ease and secure. I was more receptive to learning and less guarded. I might give myself a gentle correction and welcome constructive criticism.