Empower Yourself: Responding to the Inner Critic

Soon we will welcome January. Your inner critic has been preparing for this moment all month.

Here’s what mine sounds like:

“Okay, new year, new you! Time to finally get your life together. Remember all those things you said you’d do last January? Yeah, we’re doing those NOW. Plus about 47 new goals. You’re going to wake up at 5 AM. You’ll meal prep on Sundays and meditate for an hour. You’ll journal every morning and hit the gym six days a week. You will read 100 books and build that business. Be more present with your kids. Stop scrolling and drink more water. You’re also going to fix everything that’s wrong with you. Starting tomorrow. No, starting NOW. What are you even doing reading this? You should be DOING something productive. You’re already behind.”

Sound familiar?

Every January, the inner critic shows up with a megaphone. It carries a to-do list that would break even the most disciplined human on earth. And here’s the thing: it sounds so much like motivation that we mistake it for help.

But it’s not help.  It’s fear dressed up as discipline.

How to Recognize Your Inner Critic’s New Year Tactics

The inner critic loves January because it’s socially acceptable to be ruthless with yourself. “New year, new you” gives that voice permission to go full drill sergeant. Here’s how to spot it.

The inner critic says:

• “You’re not doing enough.”
• “Everyone else is ahead of you.”
• “You always start strong and quit—you’ll probably fail again.”
• “You need to prove you’re worthy this year.”

Your authentic self says:

• “I’m doing the best I can with what I have.”
• “My pace is my own.”
• “Growth takes time and compassion.”
• “I’ve learned even from what didn’t work.”
• “I’m already worthy.”

The inner critic’s language is urgent, comparative, and shaming.  Your authentic voice speaks with steadiness, curiosity, and self-respect.

Where the Inner Critic Comes From (And Why It Shows Up Now)

Your inner critic isn’t the enemy. It’s a part of you that learned—often early in life—that pressure and self-criticism were ways to stay safe.

Many of us absorbed messages like:

• Rest equals laziness
• Worth must be earned
• Being hard on yourself is how you succeed

That voice helped you perform, adapt, and survive. January activates it because our culture frames growth as correction instead of care. The inner critic hears that and thinks, Finally—permission to push harder.

But here’s the truth:  You don’t need to be fixed. You need understanding instead of judgment.

How to Respond to the Inner Critic (Without Shutting Down)

The goal isn’t to silence your inner critic—that often backfires.  The goal is to recognize it, understand what it’s protecting, and choose a different way of leading yourself.

1. Name it when you hear it

When that harsh voice shows up, pause and say (out loud or silently):
“That’s my inner critic. I hear you.”

Naming it creates space. It’s no longer the truth—it’s a part.

2. Ask: “How old is the part of me that believes this?”

When the critic says, “You’re lazy” or “You’re behind,” notice how old you feel.

Eight. Fourteen. Twenty-two.

That tells you this isn’t about today—it’s an old protective pattern still doing its job.

3. Respond as your adult self

Once you recognize this voice comes from an old wound, you can respond with steadiness instead of self-attack.

Inner critic: “You’re so behind.”
Response: “I’m exactly where I need to be. I trust my pace.”

Inner critic: “You always quit.”
Response: “I’ve learned from what didn’t work, and I keep going.”

Inner critic: “You need to work harder to be enough.”
Response: “I’m already enough. Growth doesn’t require punishment.”

4. Set boundaries with it

You can say:
“I know you’re trying to protect me, but I don’t need pressure to lead my life anymore.”

That’s not denial. That’s leadership.

5. Replace criticism with curiosity

Instead of:

• “Why am I so bad at this?”
  Try:
• “What would support me right now?”

Curiosity opens space. Shame shuts it down.

What I’m Choosing This January

This year, I’m not listening to the inner critic’s New Year speech.

Instead, I’m asking:

• What does my body need?
• What feels supportive instead of punishing?
• What kind of growth actually feels sustainable?

Right now, that looks like:

• Rest when I’m tired
• Movement that feels good
• Saying no without guilt
• Trusting my pace
• Celebrating small, real wins

I’m choosing self-compassion as the foundation for growth, not improvement driven by pressure. Because the truth is, you don’t need to become a different person in 2026.
You need to relate to yourself differently.

A Practice for You

If your inner critic has been loud lately, try this:

1. Write down what it’s been saying. Don’t censor it.
2. Ask: How old is the part of me that believes this?
3. Rewrite those messages from your grounded adult voice.
4. Read the compassionate version each morning for a week.

You’re not forcing positivity.  You’re training a new internal relationship. You’re literally rewiring your inner dialogue. And it works.

Remember

Growth doesn’t require self-rejection or constant pressure. The practices that last are rooted in compassion, curiosity, and respect for where you are—not urgency or shame.

The inner critic will still show up. That’s part of being human. But you get to decide whether it runs the show, or whether a steadier, kinder voice leads the way.

If you’re ready to quiet the inner critic, understand the deeper patterns behind it. My book Inner Child Freedom offers a gentle, practical path to heal the roots of that voice. You can find it on Amazon

You can also download the free companion workbook

Here’s to a year of growth guided by care, not pressure.

With love,
Myriam

This January, choose the voice that sees you, holds you, and reminds you: You’re already enough. You always have been.