Listen to your Inner Critic

This week, I’m going to explain why running from, reframing, or blocking out your negative voice is something that you shouldn’t be doing.

We are living in a world where we are trying to make everyone feel confident, safe, and accepted.

If you read this newsletter or follow my work, you’ll know how much we work to reframe your negative voice.

However, sometimes there’s a moment to listen to it.

In fact, we can always listen to it.

It comes down to what we do with it.

The harder we try to fight our negative voice, the more we become resistant to it.

Through my mindfulness practice using meditation or journaling, you can learn to have a better relationship with your inner critic.

In Chapter One of the MindStrong course, one of the most profound exercises that you can do is the “Inner Critic vs. Inner Fan” exercise.

By simply looking at what your inner critic is saying, you take away its power.

So, if you begin to notice your inner critic, I want you to ask yourself this question: Is there any truth in what it’s saying?

But most importantly, can I take any action?

What could I start doing today that would make me think less about this?

For me, I find my negative voice telling me I’m not disciplined enough in some of my work.

So I write down what I need to achieve in order for that statement to not be true.

The same way you would have an outer critic, prove your inner critic wrong.

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How to listen to your inner critic:

A practice like meditation allows us to observe what our mind is saying, even if it is calling us a jackass.

The trick is to not attach to what you observe, but simply watch mind as if you’re a spectator in a stadium, with each player on the field being a thought or criticism.

“Oh look, there’s that new player, self-loathing, let’s watch what they do.”

This process helps us detach from the thought, even if for a moment, to be able to allow the next process to happen. Acceptance.

Journaling is my go-to process I always advise, because “if you’re in your head, you’re dead”.

Get it out and onto paper.

Start by writing what you observe.

Ask yourself with what you find, is it true? Is it factual?

If it is something you’d like to change, what action needs to be done to feel better about yourself for not?

Usually, the inner criticism we give ourselves is due to the fact we haven’t done something.

OK, what can we do about it then?

Sometimes there will be moments when you can’t do anything about it.

But sometimes this inner critic will give you the jolt you need to identify the action.

Because on the other side of the action is a pissed-off inner critic that has nothing to say on the matter.

That’s how you shut them up: by listening and doing what is required.

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