I watch my critical mind. Sometimes it gets out of hand, and my mind goes on a lengthy critical discourse about someone until I hold out a mirror and force myself to apply the discourse to myself. I deny it, it's about this other person. They're the source of these thoughts. I observe them, I process my observations of their behavior.

But no, this mirror says, it applies to me, it is me. How can the source of my thoughts be outside of my own mind? "My" observations, also me. "Of them", what do I really know of them? Is this "them" fact? No, if they don't agree with my criticism, obviously it isn't them. I'm projecting, they're reflecting.

It is me, that is the benefit of generating positive thoughts, and the detriment of allowing negative thoughts. Either can become habit, neither is a permanent characteristic. Positive thoughts create a positive mind, not the other way around.

I don't have critical, negative thoughts because I naturally or circumstantially have a critical, negative mind. That's a tough one because I think my circumstances have created my critical, negative mind which leads to the critical, negative thoughts. But I don't think that's right, because I do believe that generating positive thoughts and habitualizing that process can create a positive mind or outlook.

I'm very attached to the negative aspects of my circumstances. I want to think they are the reason for my negative mind. In effect, blame them. They lead to negative, critical thinking, but really that is just an excuse to cultivate or habitualize a negative mind.