-By Timothy Lyons
Many persons are unaware of the constant inner voice with which they speak to themselves. These have been labeled the inner defender, inner critic and inner guide. The inner defender and Critic are our negative self-talk. The inner critic is us speaking to ourselves that we are not good enough. It is the voice of low self-esteem talking. The inner defender looks at others and not at ourselves. It is constant chatter that blames others for all of our problems. It justifies our actions by looking at others. The inner guide is a more positive voice. It is the wise inner chatter that tries to be objective and makes the best of any situation.
The inner critic
The first two voices make a negative quality out of our inner experience. When we do not accept responsibility for ourselves we are not being objective or seeing our part in life. This chatter causes a constant state of dissatisfaction in our lives. This happens as a result because we either speak bad about ourselves or blame others. The end result of not listening and trying to quiet this type of talk can be misery and unhappiness. The third voice is the voice that gets us back on course.
The best way to deal with these voices positively is to remember that just because you think something does not mean that it is true. I consistently evaluate my thoughts to make sure that they are productive and on track to helping me reach my goals. If they are not doing good things for me then I try to reframe the negative aspects that I hear. I also try to remember that my thoughts are transient and will pass through cycles. This helps me to remember that it is not permanent and that things will get better.