The 3 Ultimate Creative Clapbacks to Battle Your Most Feisty Inner Critic
If there’s one thing that feels especially backwards as a human, it’s our ability to be our own worst critics.
Personally, the snappy voice in my head knows exactly what to say to get under my skin, and it wasn’t until an eye-opening conversation with my therapist that I learned a lesson I’ll never forget: I’m allowed to talk back.
That’s right (I was shocked, too!). When that inner critic starts to get out of hand, you and I are allowed to give it a piece of our mind in return and even silence it. So, if you’re already thinking, “Well, what the heck do I say?” Don’t worry. I’ve got witty clapbacks for days.
So take a page from my playbook, and use these three comebacks to get back at your inner critic and reclaim your power. I promise these are the only three you’ll ever need to combat that voice in your head, so take notes and dive in:
1. “Show me the receipts.”
I love this comeback whenever my inner critic tries to tell me lies that I know for a fact aren’t true. Whether it’s the old “You’re not good enough” or some other condescending statement, my rebuttal is a list of everything that literally proves that voice wrong.
Use this comeback the next time you feel your imposter syndrome or self-doubt creep up, and see if it doesn’t quiet the negativity, even if just a little.
2. The SFW, aka the “So f*cking what?”
This is an effective general comeback that can be used against your inner critic when it says things like, “What if no one cares?” all the way to “You’re going to get rejected.”
It’s a simple clapback, but it gets the job done.
3. “You’re just a visitor.”
Because all those passing thoughts are just that, passing. That voice in your head doesn’t have the power—you do! We all have inner critics that we deal with all the time, if not daily, but the trick is to realize your strength in speaking up or clapping back at it.
And now, you’ve got three go-to comebacks to help you get the job done!
Written by Reese Williams.
Reese is a full-time freelance copywriter and a part-time plant mom, cook, and thrift shop regular. When she’s not caring for her plant babies or cooking up a new dish she found on TikTok, you’ll usually find her online at fiverr.