The Inner Bully

Everyone has an inner critic — the voice that says you are not smart enough, attractive enough, or qualified enough. A little self-evaluation is healthy.

The critic speaks in absolutes: "You always mess things up." "Nobody likes you." "You will never be good enough." Notice the language — always, nobody, never. These are the hallmarks of cognitive distortions, not accurate self-assessment.

The first step is recognizing that this voice is not you. It is a mental pattern you built — usually in childhood — as a misguided attempt to protect yourself from failure or rejection. Knowing its origin does not silence it, but it does strip away its authority.