It's an Inside Job
How’s your inner critic doing lately? With holiday season upon us, this is a gentle reminder to especially be kind to ourselves. The time between now and the end of the year can be joyful yet also stressful. I thought it would be the perfect reminder that words we say can have damaging affects on our tender being. Our inner critic tries to tear us down, keep us small, and ridicules our very existence with negative thoughts.
Once we start with negative self-talk it can be a slippery slope. It can cause depression, decrease our motivation, limits our thinking, lowers the ability to seize opportunities, and can keep us in a heightened state of stress. Keeping our inner critic at bay is essential to our mindset and personal growth.
A few years ago I went through a program that strengthened my mental fitness. Mental fitness is simply the capacity to respond to life’s challenges with a positive rather than a negative mindset. One of the strategies included was giving our inner critic a name or title. I refer to mine as the Mean Girl, especially when I recognize she’s trying to derail my thoughts, feelings, or actions. However, I find when I do tame her, I’m empowered and more self-confident. Some days it’s like a game. What she tells me is a lie and the trick is to catch her when it’s happening to immediately shut down any untruth(s).
When you feel your inner critic is trying to control your thoughts remember:
Name your inner critic
Your thoughts and feelings aren’t always a reality (ask yourself, is this true)
When you catch your inner critic lying, acknowledge it out loud
Think and respond as if this was a friend (you are your own best friend)
Catch negativity and try to stop the thought
Try to replace the negative thought with a positive one
Allow yourself some grace (you’re doing the best you can in the moment)
The more you practice stopping your inner critic the easier it is to recognize when you’re being thrown off by lies and deceit. “The strongest factor for success is self-esteem: Believing you can do it, believing you deserve it, and believing you will get it” - unknown. It’s an inside job on what we believe and how we feel about ourselves. I don’t want my inner critic calling the shots and running the show. I want my authentic, awesome, kick-ass, loving self to lead the charge. Sound like a plan?
xoxox…..Sheryl
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