Welcome to a new episode of "The Relationship Maze" where we dive into the complexities of your critical, inner voice and the impact it has on our relationships. In this episode, Tom and Angela explore the role of the inner critic, discussing why it might have developed, its effects on your life and ways to manage it for a more positive experience in your relationships. They delve into the impact of early experiences, schooling, and social media on developing and reinforcing the inner critic, offering insights and practical techniques to challenge and detach from negative self-talk. Join us as we navigate through the maze of our inner thoughts and learn to cultivate a more compassionate relationship with ourselves. 00:00 Negative emotions can impact performance and relationships. 04:57 Developing soothing inner voice is important. 07:17 Insecure childhood attachments affect self-worth and relationships. 11:48 Agreement leads to public scrutiny and feedback. 15:46 Create character names to represent inner critic. 18:33 Negative self-talk hinders performance and meaning. 19:54 Adapting to criticism requires time and practice. 23:21 Writing down self-talk helps identify patterns.