Low self-esteem may cause you to develop a strong critical internal voice (an ‘inner critic’) that tends to express itself loudly when you’re feeling distressed, overwhelmed or judged by others. This inner critic can cause significant personal distress by contributing to feelings of sadness, anxiety or anger.
Believing your inner critic can cause you to:
think negative things about yourself
believe your negative thoughts are always true
ignore your strengths and abilities
focus on your mistakes and failings while ignoring the positive
expect the worst
avoid challenges or situations where you feel you could be judged by others
think that you don’t deserve to have pleasure or fun.
This can affect your life in many ways such as by reducing your university performance due to fear or negativity. It can also interfere with your personal relationships and make communication difficult.
Take notice of experiences or thoughts that increase or decrease your self-confidence or self-esteem.
Identify your strengths, abilities and achievements. Be honest and include everything you’re proud of, no matter how small. Think about what they mean to you and why they’re important to you.
Think about what you’d like to change or improve about yourself, and how you can do that.
Reprogram your thinking
Pay attention to the language you use when you talk to yourself or describe yourself to others. We are often more kind and generous to other people than we are to ourselves.
Recognise and challenge your inner critic. Focus on the messages that make you value yourself, and turn down those that make you think negatively about your value or ability. Reprogram your thinking with positive self-talk and affirmations.
