Think of an ordinary mistake: a forgotten message, an awkward conversation or something left unfinished. What is the first sentence you say to yourself?
You don’t have to replace it with an affirmation you don’t believe. A more useful starting point might be to make the sentence fairer.
Try something believable
“I always get everything wrong” might become “I wish that had gone differently. I can decide what to do next.” The second sentence still acknowledges the difficulty. It leaves you somewhere to go.
You might ask what you would say to someone you care about in the same situation. Keep the words ordinary. You are looking for a response you can live with, not the perfect reassuring phrase.
A reflection to take away: What would a fairer version of that sentence sound like?
You can start small
Perhaps there is only one moment today when you notice the criticism. That can be enough for an experiment. You do not have to make self-kindness another thing to get right.
If this feels hard or brings up difficult feelings, you can leave it and return another time. Counselling can offer a place to explore what your inner voice has learned to expect.