The Inner Critic & Self-Judgment
Explore why the inner critic evolved and how it shapes your behavior today.
The Internal Rulebook You Didn’t Write
The internal rulebook you didn’t write lives quietly inside you.
Pages turn automatically, rules already decided.
You follow them without remembering when you agreed.
The book has no author, no signature, only weight.
Seeing it as something inherited, not authored, creates distance.
You can read without obeying every line.
Examine internal rules with DojoWell.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why do I follow strict rules in my head that I don't even agree with?
This is "The Internal Rulebook You Didn’t Write." These are standards absorbed from your environment rather than chosen by your Narrative & Identity system. Externalizing these rules—viewing them as a "manual" you inherited—allows you to evaluate them with structural clarity. You can then decide which rules serve your current coherence and which are simply outdated "software" creating unnecessary internal friction.
How do I know which rules I actually chose?
Ask yourself: "Does following this rule create Meaning Density or just reduce Threat?" Chosen values feel expansive and help loops close. Inherited rules usually feel restrictive and are followed to avoid the "shame signal" of the Status & Control system. Identifying the source of the rule allows you to move from "blind obedience" to "intentional agency."