Letting go of criticism

I hear a lot of criticism in therapy. I hear it in two main forms: criticism of self and criticism of others - both of which can become entrenched patterns of anxious behaviour that can be very difficult to shift & that only tend to cause more anxiety as the outcome.

One way I encourage clients to start tackling criticism is to first step back & become more aware of it.

Spend time observing it, learning its ins and outs - when does it occur? How does it play out in my behaviour? Is the criticism based in something evidenced based that I truly believe in? How automatic is my response to it? Are there times I’m more critical than others? Have there been times I’ve been able to notice the critical thoughts but then let them go? What’s it like for me to sit with the thought & analyse it before I act on it?

Questions for you:

• Are you aware of how criticism plays out in yourself and your relationships? 
• How well acquainted are you with how it functions for you right now? 
• Do you know the difference between when to let it go & when it may be alerting you to something important to you that you’d like to communicate to another or change in yourself?