Why you’re so hard on yourself, and how to stop (Episode 343)

If you ever wonder, “Why am I so hard on myself, and how do I stop letting self criticism run my life?” then we need to talk… because that harsh inner critic is doing more harm than good! In this episode of the Let’s Talk About Mental Health podcast, I’m talking about being hard on yourself: that harsh inner voice that picks everything apart, keeps you stuck in negative self-talk, and makes you believe you have to beat yourself up in order to improve. Spoiler alert: you don’t. Because being too hard on yourself doesn’t make you stronger, or more disciplined, or more successful; it usually fuels self-criticism and anxiety, low self-worth, fear of failure, and that horrible feeling that nothing you do is ever good enough. So, in this episode, I’ll help you understand where your inner critic comes from, why that self-critical voice feels so convincing, and how to stop putting yourself down without pretending everything is fine. I’ll walk you through practical mental health tips for inner critic healing, including how to be less hard on yourself, how to create space from painful thoughts, and how to move forward with more kindness, confidence, and peace. 👉 Ready to stop handing your harsh inner voice the wheel? Then let’s talk!💡 TL;DR: This episode is about how to stop being so hard on yourself, understand your inner critic, and break the cycle of self criticism without relying on fake positivity or pretending everything is fine.Let's Talk About Mental Health with Jeremy Godwin is about practical mental health advice for real life; each week I teach you how to improve your mental wellbeing with simple tips that actually work, drawing on my professional expertise as a counsellor and my personal experience living with anxiety and depression. Welcome and let's talk!⏱️ Chapters/Timestamps:0:00 Being hard on yourself 0:25 The truth about your inner critic3:50 What it really looks like7:04 Why it backfires12:49 How to work with your critical inner voice23:39 What I want you to take away📝 Transcript & show notes: https://ltamh.com/?p=20759 📖 Buy my book 'Life Advice That Doesn't Suck': https://jeremygodwin.com.au/latds/📍 Support my work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/jeremygodwin➕ Related episodes:Being kinder to yourself (Episode 326): https://ltamh.com/?p=19801 Improving your self worth (Episode 305): https://ltamh.com/?p=18566 👋 New here?Hi! I'm Jeremy Godwin, writer and counsellor plus the host of the Let's Talk About Mental Health podcast, your weekly dose of practical advice for better mental health. I share straightforward tips to help you protect your peace and improve your mental health, with new episodes every Sunday.🔗 Links:Learn more about Let's Talk About Mental Health: https://ltamh.comSubscribe for free show notes/transcripts in your inbox: https://ltamh.com/subscribe/My Digital Store: https://ltamh.com/shop/Buy my Daily Reflection Tool here: https://ltamh.com/product/daily-reflection/Buy my Daily Affirmations tool here: https://ltamh.com/product/affirmations/Subscribe to my YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@ltamhFind me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ltamentalhealth/Mental health resources: https://ltamh.com/resources/#selfcriticism #innercritic #mentalhealth #mentalhealthtips #bettermentalhealth #ltamhpodcast #letstalkaboutmentalhealth #peaceofmind #emotionalwellbeing #personalgrowth #mentalwellness #mentalwellbeing #jeremygodwin #protectyourpeace #mentalhealthpodcast #selfawareness #lifeadvice #selfdevelopment #feelhappier #selfcompassion #negativeselftalk #selfworth #anxietyhelp #innercriticwork #healingjourney