Sometimes we have those days when nothing seems to go right, and we turn on ourselves with a bucketload of self-criticism.

We just can’t get it together. All we can think about is what’s wrong with us.

It’s time to let that go!

Here are a half dozen tips to lift ourselves up and defeat that critical voice.

1
Ask the magic “Why”.

For every criticism ask yourself why you believe that to be true. You give yourself the first reason. Ask yourself why this is so. Continue drilling down until you’ve run out of reasons and hopefully realise the criticism is not a valid one. You are not a bad person and deserve better.

2

Journal.

Write down your self-criticism and then immediately flip it a positive life of Farming version of that critique.

For example: my hair is a mess.
Flip it – My hair is really a lovely colour.

3
Movement.

Sometimes it’s easy to just sit and wallow or stew in our misery or down mood. Movement can often stimulate our hormones to bring positive endorphins that make us feel better.

Try going outside for a walk and getting a bit of sun or a bracing walk in the wind. If the weather’s not right, try doing some kind of exercise that takes a bit of effort and realigns our focus like strength training, or aerobics.

It’s all about getting out of the cycle our heads & doing something else. Changing the direction and patterns of our thoughts.

4
Get your crayons out

Whether digital or with actual equipment, artwork/drawing/colouring is great for lifting our moods.

You can start out using it in a therapeutic way by drawing how you are feeling about an issue, or you can draw to go on a journey of exploration and fun.

There are many adult colouring books that come in both digital and physical book formats.

Drawing can be very calming, relaxing our minds, and can help raise our energy opening us up to new possibilities through using and exploring our creative spirit.

5
Another way to raise our energy and defeat criticism is to get out amongst friends and people.

Sometimes loneliness brings out our self-critical unhappy side. We have no one to speak with so we speak to ourselves, and it’s sometimes not in such a kind way.

Call a friend or and suggest getting together for a coffee or to go somewhere. Or, just go out somewhere on your own where people or stimulating events like museum, going to a market, or going somewhere you’ve never been before.

Getting out is like opening a door or a window to your mind and spirit.

You’re stimulating yourself with new ideas, solutions and perhaps seeing how others do things. We’re opening our horizons and realising we’re not alone. There are so many different people in the wider world, and then there’s you. This can lift your energy to as you realise that you’re an individual, a valuable part of humankind, and good enough as you are.

6

Lastly, try a bit of daily mirror work, combined with positive affirmations, to raise your energy.

We have to look in the mirror anyway to brush our teeth and groom ourselves, so let’s take this time to see the good in ourselves and fire up our energy for the new day in the morning, or send ourselves into a peaceful healing sleep at night.

Let’s start our day with affirmations like —

• I am lucky
• I am blessed
• I am grateful for this new day
• I can handle all the challenges that come my way today
• I am loved
• I am good enough
• I’m useful to myself and others
• I’m happy to be me

At night, we can try affirmations such as —
• I did my best today
• All is well
• I am loved
• I am happy to be me
• I really am good enough
• I’ll have a good night’s sleep tonight • •Things are always working out for me

It’s a constant journey to keep our energy high and positive and defeat self-criticism but with patient attention and effort every day, we can bounce back more easily and keep moving forward.