Have you ever noticed that you are constantly talking to yourself? While you may not always be aware of what's going on in your mind, there's often a conversation or two going on in your head. Don't worry - you are not alone in this. We all have an inner voice.
Interestingly, most people are incredibly hard on themselves and have a really harsh inner critic. For athletes, saying things like "You are too fat" or "You are so slow" or "You are not ready" or "You should just give up" or "You will never be successful" are not productive thoughts - especially if you are approaching a workout or race.
You may not realize how much your inner critic is telling you that you are never good enough. These destructive thoughts may be difficult to identify, especially when you are stressed, nervous, overwhelmed or anxious.
One of the biggest mistakes of the inner critic is acting on your thoughts. If you hear that you are "too fat" you may suddenly feel the need to diet or overexercise. If you hear that you are "not ready" for your upcoming race, you may suddenly feel the need to validate your fitness/race readiness by trying to prove to yourself that you can do the distance or specific efforts/paces. Or you may even give up before you have a chance to try, all because you've convinced yourself that you are not good enough.
It can be difficult to live a fulfilling life with so many private conversations going on in your head. Because these thoughts can greatly influence how you feel, act and behave, overtime these self-destructive thoughts can affect your self-worth, self-confidence and may negatively impact your overall health, relationships and quality of life.
It's time to stop being a victim to your own verbal abuse. Become aware of these thoughts, ask yourself if you'd say the same things to a dear friend or close family member and then examine the evidence to determine if these thoughts are accurate. Even if you do feel that your thoughts are true, it's ok to be a work in progress. No one is ever 100% ready or perfect.
Interestingly, most people are incredibly hard on themselves and have a really harsh inner critic. For athletes, saying things like "You are too fat" or "You are so slow" or "You are not ready" or "You should just give up" or "You will never be successful" are not productive thoughts - especially if you are approaching a workout or race.
You may not realize how much your inner critic is telling you that you are never good enough. These destructive thoughts may be difficult to identify, especially when you are stressed, nervous, overwhelmed or anxious.
One of the biggest mistakes of the inner critic is acting on your thoughts. If you hear that you are "too fat" you may suddenly feel the need to diet or overexercise. If you hear that you are "not ready" for your upcoming race, you may suddenly feel the need to validate your fitness/race readiness by trying to prove to yourself that you can do the distance or specific efforts/paces. Or you may even give up before you have a chance to try, all because you've convinced yourself that you are not good enough.
It can be difficult to live a fulfilling life with so many private conversations going on in your head. Because these thoughts can greatly influence how you feel, act and behave, overtime these self-destructive thoughts can affect your self-worth, self-confidence and may negatively impact your overall health, relationships and quality of life.
It's time to stop being a victim to your own verbal abuse. Become aware of these thoughts, ask yourself if you'd say the same things to a dear friend or close family member and then examine the evidence to determine if these thoughts are accurate. Even if you do feel that your thoughts are true, it's ok to be a work in progress. No one is ever 100% ready or perfect.
When your inner voice is being overly critical, acknowledge that your thoughts are probably an exaggeration and are not speaking the truth. For every insult that you hear in your head, challenge that thought with a more compassionate response. This may be difficult if you are not use to recognizing your strengths and capabilities but it's important to learn how to speak to yourself in a more kinder and respectful way.