Recognizing and becoming aware of your inner naysayer can be tremendously difficult. This is especially true because you’ve probably been living with it for as long as you can remember. That little voice that tells you all sorts of negative things about yourself and your abilities is there to act as a defense mechanism. You may even think it’s protecting you. Unfortunately, what it usually ends up doing is holding you back.
You can take positive steps to manage that voice and overcome its effects if you don’t recognize it when it pipes up. That’s why today’s post is going to tackle that topic and give you concrete strategies to become aware of when your inner naysayer pops up. Check them out.
Challenge Your Thoughts
When you catch yourself thinking something negative about yourself or your abilities, try to challenge that thought immediately. Ask yourself if it’s entirely true. Identify which parts may not be true. Then, try to counter it with a more realistic and accurate message. This can be quite challenging at first, but it will begin to be automatic after significant practice.
Let It Go
When you do notice your inner critic nagging at you, acknowledge it, reframe the message into something more positive, and then let it go. Try not to obsess over the untruths your naysayer is telling you. This is called rumination, and it can keep you in a pattern of negativity. It’s hard to move to a place of self-love when you’re stuck in a cycle of worry.
Consider the Worst-Case Scenario
What if your naysayer is telling you the truth, and the worst should happen? Sometimes, letting that scenario play out in your head can actually show you that you don’t have that much to lose, after all. That thing you fear might not be so bad in reality. Therefore, you shouldn’t let the idea of it scare you away from trying something new or going after what you want. You no longer need to worry about what others think or if something won’t turn out well when you realize the worst-case scenario really isn’t that terrible.
Accept Your Flaws
While it’s good to analyze negative messages and refute them, it’s also okay to recognize your flaws. None of us is perfect. When you are strong enough to admit there are things you could work on or improve upon, you’re demonstrating self-love. it can be hard to face our own difficulties. Knowing you have flaws and looking for ways to improve upon them shows emotional intelligence and courage. Embrace your weakness and strive for self-improvement on a regular basis.
Give these strategies a shot in order to be aware of and manage your inner naysayer. You’ll find it’s not so hard once you get the hang of it, and you’ll feel so much better once you master this skill.
