They say, "Be your own critic" because it fosters personal improvement and growth, as well as self-awareness and independence. However, they don’t tell you how to discern if you’re already being too hard on yourself or if you’re obsessively fixating on your mistakes in pursuit of being a “perfect and strong” person. Eventually, you might come to realize that your lofty expectations and the stress they create are already too heavy to bear, leading you to feel exhausted, defeated, and depressed.

Therefore, rather than being too harsh for your mistakes or imperfections, you must cultivate kindness towards yourselves. Be compassionate to yourself. We're just human, and we cannot do everything perfectly right away. Moreover, doing this doesn’t imply that you will stop growing or losing the motivation to improve. It’s simply about protecting your emotional and mental health by managing your personal struggles with the same care and kindness you would offer to a friend. Instead of stressing over your mistakes, choose to learn from it and learn to forgive yourself because it will ultimately provide you with the motivation and resolve to move forward. 

However, this journey toward self-compassion is not merely a leisurely stroll; it resembles the process of relearning to walk after being tripped up by deep-seated self-criticism. As a novice, you can begin with small steps that will help you to reconstruct your sense of self. Celebrating small achievements, such as completing all your assignments today without procrastination, can be a great start. Instead of harshly criticizing yourself, replace negative phrases like "I can’t do this" or "I'm terrible at this" with gentler affirmations like "That’s alright, I can try again" or "It’s okay, I’m still learning." These are just some of the many ways available for nurturing self-compassion; countless more exist to help you continue this journey. Keep in mind that these practices may feel awkward at first. You may revert to harsh self-criticism on certain days, which is perfectly fine. As long as, at the end of the day, you'll continue choosing to be kind to yourself, even when times get tough and exhausting.

The progress and improvements you aspire to achieve don’t solely stem from relentless self-criticism. You can attain them by transforming those harsh judgments into gentle self-conversations, embracing the fact that you are a regular person who is capable of mistakes, and granting yourself the kindness, understanding, and compassion you rightfully deserve. Learning to accept and embrace these facts can alleviate your worries and doubts, allowing you to be free and grow.