Recognize and Counter Your Inner Critic, and Take Back Your Power

We all have voices that chatter in our heads throughout the day.

One of the most strident, demeaning, and debilitating of these voices is that of the inner critic.

This insidious voice steals your time, takes you out of the moment, and distorts how you feel about yourself and the world around you.

Be aware that is not only the words, but also the disdainful, judging tone of voice, the rolling of the eyes, and the wagging of the index finger that compound the energy of the inner critic.

Do any of these statements or questions sound familiar?

• What are you doing THAT for?
• You should NEVER do it that way!
• You ought to do it THIS way!
• If you worked harder, you could succeed.
• You should be getting straight A's!

There are many variations on these statements. Some hold a judgment. Others are designed to inhibit you or make you feel guilty.

Here's a revealing exercise:

1. Write down a critical message you give yourself regularly.

2. Under the critical message, answer these 2 questions:

• How do you respond to this criticism?
• How does your response affect your daily time choices?

3. Now counter this critical message with a strong message in your adult voice.

4. Under your adult reply, answer 2 follow-up questions:

• How does your energy change with this alternative message?
• What do you learn?

Repeat this exercise frequently. You will learn how to recognize the voice of the inner critic, perceive how it undermines you, and offer an alternative response that is grounding and validating.

You may be pleasantly surprised by how effectively you can change old patterns. Writing down your responses provides you with essential objectivity. You discover how unrealistic and unnecessary your inner critic is. And as you reassert control over how you use your mind, your power over your time multiplies, as well.

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