Why You’re So Hard on Yourself: The Neuroscience of Self-Kindness
The Blue Monk (Live Music Bar)London, England
Thursday 30 July • 7 PM - 9 PM
Overview
Explore why your inner voice can be so harsh and what neuroscience reveals about building a kinder relationship with yourself.
Explore why your inner voice can be so harsh and what neuroscience reveals about building a kinder relationship with yourself.
Why is your inner voice often the harshest one in the room?
Many of us assume self-criticism is simply part of our personality—something we need to manage or push through. But what if it is a learned pattern reinforced by the brain and nervous system?
In this Mind Circles Talk, Meral Alizada explores the systems behind your inner dialogue: how self-talk develops, why negative patterns can become difficult to interrupt, and how they shape the way you think, feel and behave.
Drawing on neuroscience and psychology, Meral reframes self-kindness as something practical rather than indulgent. It is not surface-level self-care, but an approach that may support emotional regulation, clearer thinking and more consistent behaviour.
You’ll leave with a clearer understanding of what may be driving your inner voice, alongside practical ways to respond to yourself differently in difficult moments. The original listing used this same core framing around self-criticism, the nervous system and practical self-kindness.
What You’ll Learn
How internal narratives can influence perception and behaviour
What may drive self-criticism at a neurological and emotional level
How self-kindness can be understood as a practical process
Ways to regulate your nervous system and interrupt negative self-talk
How to build greater clarity, emotional stability and self-trust
About the Speaker
Meral Alizada is a thought leader, systems thinker and founder of Results of Kindness, a consultancy and think tank focused on creating high-performing, human-centred environments through the systemisation of kindness.
With a background spanning law, psychology and education, her work explores how inner leadership, emotional intelligence and relational clarity can influence mental health and decision-making.
She is a two-time TEDx speaker and creator of the Global Kindness Index, a framework examining structural kindness within organisations and societies. She is also the author of the forthcoming Kindness as Infrastructure.
Meral’s work translates complex psychological processes into clear, practical frameworks that people can apply in everyday life.
Event Schedule
19:00–19:30 — Arrival and Warm-Up Activity
Guest arrival and informal connection, with an optional guided activity.
19:30–20:15 — Expert Talk
Meral Alizada on self-criticism, inner dialogue and the neuroscience of self-kindness.
20:15–20:30 — Audience Q&A
A chance to ask questions and explore the ideas further.
20:30–21:00 — Optional Networking
Stay to continue the conversation and meet other attendees.
Early Bird: Discounted early-access ticket. Includes in-person entry, livestream access, and recording.
Community Ticket: Lower-cost ticket for students, lower-income attendees, carers, or anyone currently facing financial barriers. Includes in-person entry, livestream access, and recording.
General Admission: Standard in-person ticket. Includes livestream access and recording.
Final Release: Final allocation of in-person tickets. Includes livestream access and recording.
Bring a friend (Admits 2): One ticket admits two attendees (£40 total)
Livestream & Recording: ONLY remote access ticket with livestream and recording. No in person ticket included. All recordings will be shared privately within 4 weeks of the event and only valid for 3 months.
Venue: Blue Monk
For venue information, please visit: https://www.thebluemonklondon.com/
Age & IDs: the event takes place in a bar venue, you may be asked to show valid ID to purchase alcoholic drinks. Please bring identification if you look under 25.
Enquiries & Waitlist: Please do not contact the speaker or founder directly regarding tickets. Use the Eventbrite contact function or join the waitlist.If events sell out, additional dates may be released. Waitlist members should monitor their inbox, including spam or junk folders. Ticket offers remain valid for 6 hours before being released to the next person.
On-the-Day Tickets: No tickets will be available at the door.
Photography & Recording: Photos and recordings may be taken for promotional and archival purposes.If you’d prefer not to be included, please email us in advance or speak to the team on the day.
Talk Recording: The talk will be recorded and shared privately with attendees within 4 weeks. The recording is for personal use only.If you haven’t received it within 4 weeks, please check your spam or junk folder before getting in touch.
Arrival Time: Please arrive by 19:15 and be seated before the talk begins to avoid disruption.
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