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Welcome back to Your English Toolbox — Slow English Podcast, the place where we train your ears step by step.

Today’s episode, “Stop Your Inner Critic,” explores one of the biggest psychological obstacles for English learners, professionals, and especially IELTS, TOEFL and Cambridge candidates: that inner voice that whispers “You’re not good enough.”

Inspired by two listeners from Lithuania, this episode goes deep into how the Inner Critic works, why it becomes louder during exam preparation, and how to stop it from blocking your confidence and fluency.

• Why the Inner Critic gets stronger during exam prep
• How negative self-talk affects speaking test performance
• Why your brain treats mistakes as “dangerous”
• How fear of failure reduces fluency
• How perfectionism destroys progress
• The real reason you feel “not ready”
• How to break the cycle of catastrophizing

Most exam problems are not grammar problems — they are mindset problems:

“I freeze during IELTS Speaking.”

“I’m afraid the examiner will judge me.”

“I feel stupid when I make a mistake.”

“I lose confidence when I hear my own voice.”

This episode teaches you how to manage these moments and build the mental fitness needed for strong exam performance.

inner critic, self-talk, mindset, English listening, slow English podcast, confidence, emotional intelligence, self-esteem, impostor syndrome, personal growth, mental fitness, IELTS speaking practice, TOEFL listening skills, Cambridge B2 preparation, English exam confidence, overcoming exam anxiety, English pronunciation practice, emotional resilience, personal development habits, growth mindset training, cognitive reframing, English speaking fluency, listening comprehension boost, stress-free exam preparation, English fluency mindset

00:00 – Welcome back to Your English Toolbox

00:25 – Julia & Martin introduce themselves

00:45 – You’re not “audience”; you’re friends

01:15 – CTA: comments and community growth

01:45 – Dedication to our Lithuanian friends

02:20 – How their comment inspired this series

03:00 – What is the Inner Critic?

03:40 – Why this voice feels so powerful

04:20 – The ancient survival mechanism in your brain

05:00 – Inner Critic and English exams

05:40 – Relationships and saying “no”

06:30 – Health, fitness and perfectionism

07:10 – Catastrophizing

08:00 – How the Critic creates failure

08:30 – Tool 1: Give it a name

09:20 – Cognitive defusion

09:50 – Tool 2: The Best Friend Test

10:30 – Self-compassion and exam performance

11:00 – Assignment: name your Inner Critic

💬 We’d love to hear from you!

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