5 Sneaky Ways Your Inner Critic Is Sabotaging You (And Why We're Not Here For It)

You know that shady little voice in your head that loves to pop off at the WORST possible moments? Yep. That's your Inner Critic.

And let me tell you, she’s sneaky. Like, “showing up uninvited to brunch and judging your outfit” sneaky.

You might think she only shows up when you’re making big scary moves (starting a biz, raising your rates, sending that “hey, you forgot to pay me” email). But nope, she’s hanging out in the background all day, every day, stirring up drama you didn’t ask for.

Here are 5 ways your Inner Critic is messing with you without even buying you a coffee first:

1. You Apologize for Breathing

• "Sorry I’m late."

• "Sorry if this is a dumb idea."

• "Sorry for existing."

Girl. Stop.Your Inner Critic has you thinking you need permission to take up space, but newsflash: You don’t.You are not a burden. You’re not an inconvenience. (And if someone acts like you are? That's THEIR inner critic problem, not yours.)

2. You Downplay Your Wins Like It's Your Job

• "Oh, it wasn’t a big deal."

• "I just got lucky."

• "Anyone could have done it."

Wrong.You crushed it.Your Inner Critic wants you to stay small so you don’t “make waves.”I’m here to tell you: Make the damn tsunami. 🌊

Own your wins, boo. You earned every single one.

3. You Wait Until You Feel "Ready" (aka Never)

• "If I just take one more course..."

• "If I get a little more experience..."

• "If I feel more confident..."

Hate to break it to you, but ready is a scam.Your Inner Critic is using perfectionism as a weapon.You’re never going to feel 100% ready, and you don’t have to be. Messy action beats perfect procrastination. Every. Single. Time.

4. You Play Hide-and-Seek With Your Dreams

Not launching your offer.

Not posting your wins.

Not telling people how freaking awesome your services are.

(Psst:) You are not a "secret to be kept."Your Inner Critic thinks staying small will keep you safe.

You weren’t made to hide. You were made to light it up.

5. You Compare Yourself to Internet Strangers You’ve Never Met

Scrolling TikTok at midnight thinking,"Ugh, she has it ALL together and I’m over here drowning in laundry and self-doubt."

Reality check: You’re comparing your behind-the-scenes to their highly curated highlight reel. Their "effortless success" post? Probably took 137 takes, two breakdowns, and three cups of coffee.

You’re doing better than you think. Stay in your lane. You’re on your own timeline, and it’s divine.

Real Talk:

Your Inner Critic isn’t the boss of you (even though she really thinks she is). She’s just scared. She thinks she’s protecting you.

But you? You’re ready to run the show.

First step? Catch her in the act. Call her out. Choose a new story.

(And maybe throw a little side-eye her way while you’re at it. 👀✨)

✨ Your Move:

➡️ Slide into my DMs or drop a comment: Which of these shady Inner Critic moves hit you hardest today? (Zero judgment. Only hype squad energy. 💃)

Stay tuned, babe.....We’re just getting started. 🚀