 How often do you talk this way to yourself? I'm so dumb. I am so useless. Or I am so ugly. Whatever you're going through, you're not alone. The way we talk to ourselves can either bring energy to our lives or tear us to pieces. It begins when we're young. Even though our parents love and care deeply about us, they're not perfect. And their own pain and trauma are often passed to us unintentionally. Our pain grows when the interaction with others hurts us deeply, which we internalize with negative self-talk. And breaking the cycle of harsh self-evaluation can go on for weeks, months, or even years. And the longer we criticize ourselves, the more we feel like we're falling into a deep, dark tunnel. But still, we remain strong. In order to break the negative self-talk, we take long walks. We meditate. We read self-help books to move forward in the dark tunnel. And with each step of self-care, we make progress on our way through the dark tunnel of the inner critic. Sometimes, even for the strongest of us, it can feel lonely to keep up with self-care routines. And when everything feels overwhelming, we begin to wonder, is there any hope for us after all? Or are we simply doomed to walk alone in this endless tunnel of negative self-talk? But there is a glimpse of hope in these dark and trying times, when we become our own harshest critic. When we feel alone in our journey, unsure of where to go. When frustrated with our progress, our loved ones guide us through the tunnel, helping us navigate through the darkness. In our darkest moments, their presence protects us from our own cruel words. And even though we may hurt each other without meaning to, we learn to accept, forgive, and care. They remind us that regardless of what happened in the past, we are not the harsh words we say to ourselves. Instead, they remind us that we are loved, we are cared for, and we are worthy. Their words are the rays of sunshine that pierce through the thick clouds of self-judgment and bring light into our darkness. And in moments when we can't bring up the courage to be kind to ourselves, the only hope we have is each other. Because if there is just one person that cares, it plants a seed of assurance that maybe, just maybe, we are not the words that we say to ourselves. Just maybe, we are not defined by the ruthless words of our inner critic. So to anyone who may be suffering from negative self-talk and harsh inner criticism, you are not alone. Please, reach out. And if you feel like there's no one else around you, we want to tell you. You're braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think. And we hope that you can share this message with anyone that needs to hear this. Because your kindness can save a life, even with just one action.