This felt very real to me. When you grow up hearing what you could have done better, even praise can feel temporary because you’re already waiting for the criticism that comes after it. That voice can stay with you for years.
I really understand what you mean. When criticism becomes part of childhood, it can become an inner voice that keeps moving with us long after the people who created it are no longer there.
And I think you’ve captured something important about praise too… when you’re used to waiting for the “but”, even a compliment can feel like it has an expiry date. Learning to receive something good without immediately looking for what we did wrong can take time.
Thank you for sharing this. It’s such an important part of the conversation around self-worth. ❤️
“You can want to improve without believing that you are inadequate.” That stayed with me. Growth feels very different when it comes from care rather than from constantly trying to correct who we are.
Yes… I think that difference changes everything. When growth comes from care, it feels like we’re supporting ourselves rather than constantly trying to fix ourselves.
I’ve noticed that I’m much more open to change when it comes from a place of “what would help me?” rather than “what’s wrong with me?” That shift can make growth feel much kinder and more sustainable. ❤️
I can relate to that idea of life being an ongoing inner battle. I think so much of what we experience, especially criticism from others, can eventually become part of the way we speak to ourselves. Learning to recognise that voice and decide whether we still want to believe it can be a big part of the journey.
And perhaps the "winning" isn't about never struggling or never losing our way... sometimes it's simply becoming a little more aware of ourselves through what we go through. Thank you for sharing this perspective. ❤️
Your words remind me of Sufi thought, and especially of Baba Bulleh Shah’s teaching of self-knowledge.
Bulleh Shah expressed it beautifully:
You may read thousands of books,
But have you ever read yourself?
In my view, the true journey begins right here. Life may indeed be a continuous inner struggle, but perhaps the greatest victory in this struggle is not defeating yourself, but understanding yourself.
We spend our entire lives studying the world, listening to the voices of others, allowing their criticism to take root within us, and sometimes that very voice becomes our own. But Sufi thought invites a person to look within and ask: Who am I in reality, and is the voice speaking inside me truly my own?
The knowledge gained from books is valuable in its own right, but reading and understanding yourself is an entirely different kind of knowledge. Perhaps every pain, every criticism, every moment of losing our way, and every attempt to find ourselves again is part of this journey—a journey that goes beyond knowing the world to knowing ourselves. ❤️
thank you.
This felt very real to me. When you grow up hearing what you could have done better, even praise can feel temporary because you’re already waiting for the criticism that comes after it. That voice can stay with you for years.
I really understand what you mean. When criticism becomes part of childhood, it can become an inner voice that keeps moving with us long after the people who created it are no longer there.
And I think you’ve captured something important about praise too… when you’re used to waiting for the “but”, even a compliment can feel like it has an expiry date. Learning to receive something good without immediately looking for what we did wrong can take time.
Thank you for sharing this. It’s such an important part of the conversation around self-worth. ❤️
“You can want to improve without believing that you are inadequate.” That stayed with me. Growth feels very different when it comes from care rather than from constantly trying to correct who we are.
Yes… I think that difference changes everything. When growth comes from care, it feels like we’re supporting ourselves rather than constantly trying to fix ourselves.
I’ve noticed that I’m much more open to change when it comes from a place of “what would help me?” rather than “what’s wrong with me?” That shift can make growth feel much kinder and more sustainable. ❤️
Human existence is a test until the moment of death. It is a battle that a person fights with himself; sometimes he wins, and sometimes he loses.
I can relate to that idea of life being an ongoing inner battle. I think so much of what we experience, especially criticism from others, can eventually become part of the way we speak to ourselves. Learning to recognise that voice and decide whether we still want to believe it can be a big part of the journey.
And perhaps the "winning" isn't about never struggling or never losing our way... sometimes it's simply becoming a little more aware of ourselves through what we go through. Thank you for sharing this perspective. ❤️
Your words remind me of Sufi thought, and especially of Baba Bulleh Shah’s teaching of self-knowledge.
Bulleh Shah expressed it beautifully:
You may read thousands of books,
But have you ever read yourself?
In my view, the true journey begins right here. Life may indeed be a continuous inner struggle, but perhaps the greatest victory in this struggle is not defeating yourself, but understanding yourself.
We spend our entire lives studying the world, listening to the voices of others, allowing their criticism to take root within us, and sometimes that very voice becomes our own. But Sufi thought invites a person to look within and ask: Who am I in reality, and is the voice speaking inside me truly my own?
The knowledge gained from books is valuable in its own right, but reading and understanding yourself is an entirely different kind of knowledge. Perhaps every pain, every criticism, every moment of losing our way, and every attempt to find ourselves again is part of this journey—a journey that goes beyond knowing the world to knowing ourselves. ❤️
Love this!
Bulleh Shah expressed it beautifully:
You may read thousands of books,