Self-Worth Part 2
January 26, 2026
Self-Worth Part 2
Before speaking our first words, the world was already teaching us when to silence ourselves.
From the very beginning, we are told what we must do and be to belong. And we are warned of the consequences if we do not comply. So, we internalize those messages and take over the job of saying them to ourselves. This internal voice is part of our conscience and, in its extreme, it is our inner critic.
The inner critic keeps us in line in various ways. One strategy is to constantly warn us about what will happen if we do such-and-such. Another is to shame us. Maybe it will say such things as “What would my mother/ father think if they knew about this?” It thinks that belittling and shaming is protecting us. But the result of its barrage can be mentally abusive.
The inner critic takes on the voice of those who first corrected us and kept us in line. So, we have an internal audio and visual collection of warnings, threats, instructions, guidance, and a list of possible consequences for failing to heed them. Regardless of how loved and cherished we were, and how gentle our life teachers were, the message was adamant: “You must be a certain way.”
The inner critic is much stronger in some people than in others. This is most likely due to the child's predisposition, emerging personality patterns, and their soul’s responses to external control. But one thing is for sure: those who mistreat themselves with harsh directives and threaten themselves with unwanted consequences are victims of their own internalized mental abuse.
In spiritual consciousness, when we hear the inner critic, we aim not to respond as a victim. Instead, we recognize what it is: a mental structure set up as an overreaction to being told how we must be and the shame that follows. The inner critic overreacted by taking over the job of shaming, warning, and threatening ourselves.
In consciousness, we realize that the inner critic is only a mental structure that was built earlier in life and eventually infected our superego (conscience). Since then, we have unwittingly granted it the license to control us.
Knowing what the inner critic is, de-fangs it. When we see it more objectively, we can protect ourselves against its attacks by saying things to ourselves like, “I know you, and I know what you’re up to,” and “This time you will not color the truth by scaring, shaming, or belittling me.” This realization frees us to respond as an adult who sees the world from our soul.
Our self-esteem improves when we control our destructive inner critic. Instead of criticisms, we invite affirmations. Instead of shame, we invite self-affirmation and compassion.
Spiritual practice: If you have an overactive superego and inner critic, let yourself go there and make a list of what they say to you. Make a counter list beside each critical entry that is an affirmation of you.
Self inquiry: What are the reasons why your inner critic could seduce you into believing what it says?
Prayer:
Dear God, Help me love and affirm myself. Let me choose the new growth of life rather than the twisted and bare branches. Amen
