How to stop self-criticism is something many of us silently struggle with, even if we appear confident on the outside. Self-criticism means judging ourselves harshly for our mistakes, failures, appearance, or how we think others perceive us. In this pattern, we constantly evaluate our actions, thoughts, and looks — focusing only on flaws and ignoring our qualities.
Have you noticed how rare it is to find someone who’s truly happy with who they are and what they do? Most people are dissatisfied with their appearance or achievements. The truth is, we often don’t like ourselves, and this reflects a lack of self-love. While we may act confident externally, deep inside, we’re constantly criticizing ourselves for not being perfect.
Have you ever caught yourself thinking:
“I’m such a failure.”
“Why do I always mess things up?”
“No one else would be this stupid.”
That harsh voice inside you? It’s self-criticism.
It quietly damages your confidence, blocks your personal growth, and disconnects you from your true self.
But here’s something empowering: You weren’t born with this voice — you learned it.
And whatever is learned can be unlearned.
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Overcoming Self-Criticism: Why People Criticize Themselves So Harshly
Have you ever wondered why we criticize ourselves so harshly? What’s the real reason behind it? The truth is, we’ve been learning this pattern since childhood. When we tried really hard to get good marks but didn’t succeed, our parents criticized us for not performing well.
When we did many good things but made one small mistake, that mistake ruined our image. People judged us based on our appearance, not for our good heart. Without realizing it, we were being trained every day to criticize ourselves.
Our parents, teachers, and society didn’t mean harm, but the repeated message we received was: “You’re not good enough.” Now, to be clear, criticism isn’t always bad. If we fail an exam because we didn’t study and we’re criticized for it, that’s a lesson.
It teaches us not to waste time and to do better next time. But it becomes harmful when we do our best, try sincerely, and still get criticized. That creates a belief in our subconscious mind: “No matter how hard I try, I’m still not enough.”
Over time, this forms strong neural pathways in the brain. It becomes a pattern where we’re never satisfied with ourselves, no matter what we achieve. When someone says, “You don’t look good,” we immediately feel bad. Not because they said it, but because we already believe it. We accept others’ judgments as truth, and that’s how low self-worth and self-criticism take root.
This entire programming gets stored in our subconscious mind. We absorb it without realizing, and it keeps running in the background. That’s why it’s so important to understand how to stop self-criticism. The voice inside you that constantly judges isn’t your true self — it’s a learned voice. And what’s learned can always be unlearned.
Self-Criticism: How Blocked Chakras Contribute to It
Our chakras begin developing from birth, and everything we experience in childhood gets stored in our subconscious mind in the form of energy. This energy shapes how each chakra develops — based on our thoughts, habits, emotional patterns, life experiences, and upbringing.
If you were constantly criticized for your efforts, faced rejection, lacked emotional support, needed constant validation, or grew up in a fearful environment — all of this creates energetic blocks in specific chakras. If you often find yourself struggling with self-criticism, the most affected chakras are usually the heart chakra, solar plexus chakra, and root chakra.
When the heart chakra is blocked, it’s difficult to love and accept yourself. A blocked solar plexus chakra creates issues with self-esteem, confidence, and personal power. And a blocked root chakra brings fear, insecurity, and a deep sense of not feeling safe or grounded in who you are.
As a result, you may look confident on the outside, but inside you feel empty, disconnected, and constantly in need of approval. You may try hard to impress others, wear a mask to gain validation, and rarely feel true to yourself — all because self-love is missing at the core. When you cannot accept yourself, you naturally seek acceptance from others. And that’s exactly where self-criticism is born.
So, if you’re struggling with harsh self-talk or inner judgment, healing these chakras is just as important as changing your thoughts. When your energy is aligned, self-acceptance becomes natural — and the need for self-criticism starts to dissolve.
7 Practical and Spiritual Steps to Silence Your Inner Critic
1. Become Aware of Your Inner Critic
Self-criticism often runs on autopilot. So whenever you notice that you’re criticizing yourself, write it down. Put every harsh word or thought on paper — you’ll realize just how unkind you’re being to yourself. How to stop self-criticism starts with self-awareness. Each time you feel a dip in your energy or mood, pause and ask yourself:
“What am I telling myself right now?”
After journaling, you can burn the paper to symbolically release that heavy, negative energy. Repeat this process until you start catching your inner critic in real time. This is how you begin to rewire your patterns.
2. Name the Inner Critic
Give that inner voice an identity that separates it from your true self — call it “The Judge,” “Negative Nisha,” or “Mr. Perfect.” Naming it makes it easier to detach from it. Instead of thinking “I’m not good enough”, you’ll start thinking:
“Wait, that’s just The Judge speaking again.”
This simple practice helps you realize that this voice is not you, it’s just an old belief that can be changed.
3. Replace Harsh Thoughts with Truth
When your inner critic says:
“You’re a failure,”
Pause and ask:
“Is that really true? Have I never succeeded at anything?”
Then replace it with grounded truth — not fake positivity.
“I made a mistake, but that doesn’t make me a failure. I’m learning and growing.”
Doing this daily will help rewire your subconscious mind, making self-compassion your new default setting. It’s a major key in learning how to stop self-criticism from the root.
4. Talk to Yourself Like Someone You Love
Everyone deserves kindness — and that includes you. Even when you make mistakes or receive criticism from others, be kind to yourself.
Imagine your inner child just messed up and feels ashamed. Would you say,
“You’re pathetic”?
Of course not.
You’d say:
“It’s okay. You’re still worthy. You’ll do better next time.”
This is what self-love really means. Start practicing this gentle voice inside your own mind — that’s how to stop self-criticism and replace it with emotional safety.
5. Make Self-Compassion a Daily Habit
Each day, write something you love about yourself or something kind you did. It can be small — like helping someone, or showing up when it was hard. This will slowly open your heart chakra, the center of love and acceptance. You can also practice mirror talk. Look straight into your eyes and repeat:
- “I’m doing the best I can.”
- “I deserve love even when I make mistakes.”
- “Progress is more important than perfection.”
The subconscious mind learns through emotion + repetition, and eye contact during mirror work helps imprint new beliefs faster. This is one of the most gentle yet powerful ways to master how to stop self-criticism.
6. Surround Yourself with Uplifting Energy
No matter how hard you try, some people will always highlight your flaws. These people drain your energy and make you feel small. That’s why it’s important to protect your space. It doesn’t mean everyone is bad — but notice how you feel after receiving advice or feedback.
- Do you feel uplifted or anxious?
- Do you feel seen or judged?
Follow people who inspire self love, not self-doubt. Journal your wins daily, no matter how small. This will shift your focus from what’s lacking to what’s blossoming. Creating a positive environment is essential in the journey of how to stop self-criticism for good.
7. Use Theta Sound Waves to Rewire Your Mind
Sound can reprogram your subconscious much faster than thinking alone. Theta brainwave music (4–8 Hz) helps bring your mind into a deep meditative state — a state where limiting beliefs are more easily rewritten.
Listen to theta frequencies in the morning after waking up and at night before sleeping — the two times when your subconscious is most open. This is a powerful shortcut to calming mental chatter and gently dissolving the inner critic.
Adding this practice will accelerate your healing process and help you learn how to stop self-criticism using energy, sound, and subconscious alignment.
Final Words
Self-criticism isn’t your fault. It’s something you learned — and now it’s something you’re choosing to unlearn. Every small act of kindness you show to yourself is a step toward freedom. How to stop self-criticism is not about becoming perfect — it’s about accepting your imperfections with love. Because your true self was never broken — only buried under the noise of fear, comparison, and pressure. You’re healing. You’re enough. And you’re doing beautifully.
