Neuroscience

Fight the Self-criticism is a sample activity for the Neuroscience chapter.

Title

Fight the Self-criticism

Area

the mind and beliefs

Methodology

Neuroscience

Aim of the activity

Reflect on self-criticism, automatically activated when we are in trouble.

Target group

parents
the adult educators

Duration

10 min

Description

On a piece of paper, let’s try to reflect on the following questions:

  1. Imagine a friend or a relative having a difficult time: he/she may have just failed an exam, or have made a serious mistake.
    • Let’s imagine to figure out the complex causes that led to that error or failure and, moved by a great affection towards him/her,
    • Let’s imagine we’re trying to say something to make him/her feel better and to help him/her regain perspective on that episode.
    • What would you tell him/her?
    • What tone of voice or attitude would we use?
  1. Now let’s look for a memory of some of our own serious mistakes, or sense of failure about something.
    • As we recall that episode, let’s try to remember what emotions we felt and what thoughts were going through our mind.
    • In trying to react, how did we talk to ourselves?
    • What tone of voice did we use towards ourselves?
  1. Are the tone and words used with our friend the same as those we use when we feel bad? If they are not the same, why do we think they are different?
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Reflection

This exercise helps us to reflect on self-criticism, an automatic thinking pattern based on judgement, which aims to motivate us in taking action to protect us from possible failures and risks. However, self-criticism works in the short term, while in the long term it relates with anxiety and depression.
The exercise offers an alternative learning to treat ourselves with greater kindness and understanding.

Source

Neff, K. D. (2012). The science of self-compassion.

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