critical inner voice

Stop Procrastinating

Most of us are aware of that voice in our heads that screams to us, “stop procrastinating!” And most of us know that the pressure and stress that this voice puts on us just makes us more intimidated and less likely to get anything done. Procrastination is a self-fueled cycle, and it is becoming an… Read more »

Learn More

The Ways We Lie

There’s a scene in the movie Something’s Gotta Give that simply and succinctly captures one reality about the truth. After catching the man she loves on a date with another woman, Diane Keaton is chased out of the restaurant by a guilty and distraught Jack Nicholson. When he finally stops her, he pleads, “I have… Read more »

Learn More

I Hate Myself

For most of us, the expression “you are your own worst enemy” holds a lot of truth. It’s a painful reality that much of what limits us in our lives is our own feelings of unworthiness and self-hatred. “I hate myself” is a fairly common thought. But where do these feelings come from? How do… Read more »

Learn More

How to Become More Adult and Successful in Your Life

Fear is the primary enemy to becoming an adult. Psychological defenses that are limiting and to some extent dysfunctional are strengthened and intensified when people become anxious. Yet anxiety states are often reacted to subliminally and defenses are instituted and affect our behavior without conscious awareness. In that sense, you cannot approach your fear directly;… Read more »

Learn More

Why Competitive Feelings Are Good For You

Being competitive can have an ugly connotation in our society. It has become, in some ways, synonymous with greed, envy and narcissism. But feeling competitive isn’t always about climbing the ladder, winning the race or getting ahead. Competitive feelings are completely natural. Moreover, they’re unavoidable. Like it or not, we all feel competitive a lot… Read more »

Learn More

How the Critical Inner Voice Affects Relationships

Watch an exclusive PsychAlive cartoon, illustrating the concept of the “critical inner voice” and how it can negatively impact your romantic relationships. Learn more about the critical inner voice

Learn More

Self-Sabotaging: Why We Get in Our Own Way

The expression “you are your own worst enemy” rings true for most of us. How many times have we acted against our self-interest, then asked ourselves why did we self-destruct? Why did we say that to a loved one? Why did we procrastinate on that project? Why have we stopped doing that one thing that… Read more »

Learn More

The Importance of Choosing Your Thoughts

Time spent alone in thought can be positive – a rich environment for personal growth and creativity. Yet, getting “in our heads” can also be dangerous when we are negatively turned against ourselves. There is an important difference between introspection and rumination. Introspection can be a process of healthy self-reflection examination, and exploration, all of… Read more »

Learn More

Money Stress: Why We Use Money to Feel Bad About Ourselves

Work and money are the leading causes of stress in America, according to the American Psychological Association’s “Stress in America” survey. Money may seem like a practical concern, requiring rationality and logic to manage. However, we very often underestimate the emotional aspects of handling money. Our attitudes about money have deep roots in our past…. Read more »

Learn More

How to Stop Being a Victim

Challenging negative voices is the way to overcome a victimized orientation. Reject your sense of injury and the injury itself disappears. ~ Marcus Aurelius, Meditations One of the principle ways that people mismanage their anger is by playing the role of victim. In a previous blog, “Don’t Play the Victim Game,” I described the characteristics… Read more »

Learn More