The Inner Critic - Flipbook - Page 17
Societal standards
We only have to open a newspaper or a magazine, or check out a social media feed to see evidence of
societal standards and norms that we are expected to live by. Norms are important for establishing
standards of behaviour and ensuring some sense of safety and coherence within society.
Sadly however, the consequences for not tting into the accepted and internalised norms can leave us
feeling ‘other’, rejected, unaccepted, even shamed.
The societal standards of our own caregivers inuence our own values and beliefs.
Consider the following:
Children should be seen and not heard
Nobody likes a smart alec / show o
Nice girls don’t get angry
Big boys don’t cry.
And so it goes on. We will have all heard and internalised some standard. The Inner Critic is often
there to make sure we do, protecting us from embarrassment or shame or guilt.
Hard wiring for the negative
A gift from our evolutionary heritage scientists have discovered that we are hard-wired to pay more
attention to the negative!
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