We are our harshest critics. Even though we’re talented, skilled, experienced, and more than capable of performing optimally, we tell ourselves we can’t do it. Why? Psychologists cite many reasons for this tendency to allow negative self-talk to rule our decisions. It is the root of maladaptive behavior that redirects us from productivity, fear of success, fear of failure, etc. If we tell ourselves we can’t, we won’t risk being disappointed.
Not anymore.
It’s time to reflect objectively on your strengths and inherent goodness that you’re known for. It’s time to move past negative thought patterns, insecurities, and doubt and focus on a bright future.
To help, here are six books to help you quiet your inner critic:
How to Be Yourself: Quiet Your Inner Critic and Rise Above Social Anxiety by Ellen Hendriksen. Almost 40% of people consider themselves shy and have difficulty speaking up. Circumstances, environments, and triggers can bring out the social anxiety and introverted side of all of us. Dr. Ellen Hendriksen explores how to unleash your inner skillset and rewire your brain to feel confident in all social situations. This book walks you through the process to quiet your inner critic and step into your true, authentic self.
You Matter: Learning to Love Who You Really Are by Matthew Emerzian. (LINK) The focus on how you matter and why you are invaluable to this world is the overarching theme of this book. This isn’t a ‘fluff’ book that is filled with banal adulations, but rather substantial reflections and thought-provoking questions that challenge the reader to explore their worth and find their value in society. It also explores the theme of how we can embrace and foster an environment of respect. Emerzian also tests the reader to avoid social media competition and desist defining your worth and future based on societal expectations.
Mastering Your Mean Girl: The No-BS Guide to Silencing Your Inner Critic and Becoming Wildly Wealthy, Fabulously Healthy, and Bursting with Love by Melissa Ambrosini. Requested TarcherPerigee/Penguin Randomhouse – Requested. You know that sneaky voice inside your head telling you that you’re not good enough, smart enough, pretty enough, whatever enough? That’s your Mean Girl. And she’s doing her best to keep you stuck in Fear Town, too scared to go after the life you always imagined. But enough’s enough! Melissa Ambrosini has made a life beyond her wildest dreams, all by mastering her Mean Girl, busting through limiting beliefs, and karate-chopping through the fears that held her hostage for years. And now she wants to help you remember not only what you are capable of, but how amazing you truly are!
Make Peace with Your Mind: How Mindfulness and Compassion Can Free You from Your Inner Critic by Mark Coleman. When your mind says you’re “not good enough,” it makes you doubt your every action, personal worth, and value. While this “inner critic” seems overpowering, you can learn to thoughtfully manage it. Author, therapist, and meditation teacher Mark Coleman shows you how to use the tools of mindfulness and compassion to disarm your critic and live a free, happy, and flourishing life.
Freedom from Your Inner Critic: A Self-Therapy Approach by Jay Earley, Ph.D., and Bonnie Weiss, MA LCSW. Dr. Jay Earley and psychotherapist Bonnie Weiss present a self-therapy approach for uncovering the psychological roots of our self-sabotaging inner voices and restoring our sense of worthiness. Filled with insights, case studies, and practical self-therapy exercises, this breakthrough book takes you through a groundbreaking approach of Internal Family Systems Therapy (IFS).
Turning Your Inner Critic into Your Career Champion by Kim Monaghan.
When you let your inner critic dominate your thoughts, it impacts everything you do. But if managed correctly, this inner “voice” can ultimately drive positive change. Acknowledging where you get stuck and developing ways to initiate positive change will elevate your career confidence. You’ll learn how to expose the inner critic’s fraudulent behavior and reframe this voice to boost confidence, motivation, and professional success.
Images Courtesy of St. Martin’s Press, MacMillan Publishers, New World Library, Penguin Random House, and KBM Coaching & Consulting LLC
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