I Used To Be My Own Worst Critic

David your mindfulness guy here on another Thursday!

Let’s talk about something that most of us experience but rarely say out loud:
That harsh inner voice that shows up around food and our bodies.

You know the one:

• “You shouldn’t have eaten that.”

• “You messed up—again.”

• “You have no discipline.”

• “You’ll never get it right.”

For years, I thought that voice was helping me stay accountable. I believed self-criticism would lead to better choices and more control. But instead, it left me feeling defeated, ashamed, and disconnected from my body.

What I didn’t realize back then was this:
You can’t shame yourself into healing.

The Turning Point: Awareness Before Change

Mindful eating didn’t silence my inner critic overnight—but it gave me something powerful: awareness.

It started with small pauses.
A breath before a bite.
A moment of noticing how I felt instead of rushing to judge.

And in that space, I began to hear my inner voice more clearly.
And I realized—if I spoke to a friend the way I spoke to myself, I’d be horrified.

That’s when I knew:
Something needed to change in myself.

From Judgment to Gentleness

Mindfulness helped me practice self-compassion in small, daily ways.
Here’s what made the biggest difference:

• Noticing the voice — I stopped believing every critical thought. I began to see, “That’s my inner critic again.”

• Pausing with curiosity — Instead of spiraling into guilt, I’d ask, “What am I actually feeling right now?” then i would observe it and let it pass.

• Speaking gently — I started responding with phrases like:
  “It’s okay.”
  “You’re allowed to enjoy food.”
  “You’re learning.”
  “Let’s move on kindly.”

Kind words can be incredibly soothing in mindfulness, especially when we're learning to soften the harsh inner voice.

Phrases like “It’s okay” or “You’re doing your best” offer comfort and build self-trust.

But over time, mindfulness invites us to go even deeper—to simply observe the thought or feeling without needing to fix, explain, or replace it.

Rather than clinging to a positive phrase, we learn to watch the wave of emotion or criticism rise and fall, knowing it will pass.

Beginners Can Try This Today

Next time you eat something you “shouldn’t have,” or feel tempted to criticize your body, try saying:

Say it again. Say it out loud if you need to.

You deserve to hear it.

Non-Beginners Can Try This Today

Instead of labeling a thought or emotion as “guilt or shame simply observe it as it arises. Let it move through your awareness like weather across the sky—without clinging, resisting, or defining it.

Mindfulness at this level is pure noticing. No commentary. No analysis. You don’t need to understand it or fix it. You just see it—a sensation, a tightening, a flicker of discomfort—and let it pass.

It’s like sitting on the riverbank, watching leaves float by. You don’t grab them. You don’t name them. You just watch. And eventually, the current carries them away.

Final Thought

When it comes to our relationship with food and our bodies, the real shift doesn’t come from more rigidness—it comes from deeper kindness.

Mindfulness isn’t about perfection. It’s about presence. About noticing what's in our minds and bodies, and giving ourselves permission to just be in that moment.

Every time you pause instead of punish, observe instead of obsess, and respond with gentleness instead of judgment, you’re rewiring your relationship with yourself—and that’s real power that stems from within yourself.

Until next Thursday— try your best to stay mindful.

Your Mindfulness Guy,

David S