So what do we do? Our first response might be to criticize the critical voice. To add one more layer to our self-critique. That obviously isn’t useful.
We can recognize that this is a common experience. There isn’t anything uniquely wrong with us. We can recognize that the thoughts that seem so personal are actually quite common - and often culturally imposed. We can catch the thoughts - and wrap them in kindness and compassion. We can see the thoughts, not as not part of us, but passing through us, the way debris might float on a river we are watching. We can know that there is a Mind bigger than our human thoughts which is knowing us, thinking us, being through us. We can feel that Love is forming us and surrounding us. We can let go a little.