We've all come to believe in some particular way that we are weak, slow, defective, ugly, unlovable or just plain, "not enough." We mistakenly believe that if we're mean or cruel enough, somehow we will slough off our bad habits. Instead, we're practicing being cruel to ourselves, sending us into a depression that deepens the hole we're already in.

There is a powerful antidote to the Inner Critic, but you will need to learn how to cultivate it: self-compassion. The more warmth you can give yourself, the less the Inner Critic needs to take over.