Does Self-Criticism Make Us Better?
Self-criticism exists on a continuum; we are all critical of ourselves at times. In smaller doses, self-criticism, or self-reflection, can be useful. It helps us recognize things in ourselves that we’d like to change and take steps to work towards that goal. It can help us evaluate something we feel we did wrong and consider how we can do it better in the future. However, it is a slippery slope, and useful self-reflection can devolve into harmful self-criticism that becomes the default way of thinking and looking at the world.
Is the Need for Control Causing Anxiety?
We all like to be in control of our lives. We feel good when we can make choices rather than being pushed into situations. Even if the result is something we would have chosen anyway, we feel better if we had alternate options. But for some people, the need to be in control can induce or exacerbate anxiety.
