In truth, this can become a default habit which blinds us to a bigger, more accurate perspective. In reality, like teachers and parents have discovered, reminding people of what they are doing right instead of pointing out what they are doing wrong can be a powerful tool.
I used to work in an alternative high school with students who had been kicked out of the traditional school and had low academic self-esteem. In our creative writing class, in the beginning, I only gave them feedback on what was working in their writing: the elegant phrase, the fresh metaphor, the heartfelt sentiment. And miraculously, as I did that, they did more of the good stuff and the less effective writing naturally melted away. Once they built confidence in the value of their own voices and in some skills, then they wanted, and were ready for, more specific feedback on areas of improvement.
If you have been a bit beat up by life or yourself, begin by regularly, systematically, with celebration, noticing and acknowledging what you are doing right. Don’t take for granted, or dismiss, all the small and big positive choices you make. Maybe even write them down. Recognizing them will give you a healthier, more accurate perspective, and more confidence in your own skin. With this solid foundation, we can then both ask for and hear suggestions for improvement and discern what feels healthy, accurate and useful, without overreaction or overwhelm.