We’re taught to “push through” sickness, stress, and exhaustion as if resilience is always a virtue. But what happens when strength is fueled by perfectionism and pressure instead of care? This reflection explores how ignoring our body’s signals can backfire—and what it looks like to recalibrate, slow down, and choose sustainability over survival mode.

For some folks, the inner critic is loud and pervasive. For others, it is a mere annoyance, a pest, like a stubborn mosquito that just won’t leave you alone. Each of us has our own unique version–different scripts with different voice actors. (Tangentially, what if your inner critic had the voice of Morgan Freeman? Or David Attenborough? That would be something.)

For me, this topic hits close to home. I’ve walked through much of life with a pervasive and ruthless inner critic…

Mindfulness helps you create an observer version of yourself that allows you to create space to recognize you are not your thoughts and feelings. Instead, your thoughts and emotions are a result of past experiences that can be felt, accepted, and let go, without judgment.