Overcoming Your Inner Critic
Posted on October 25, 2014 by Deb Elbaum, One of Thousands of Career Coaches on Noomii.
We all have negative voices we hear from time to time that feed into our fears. Here's how to face that voice and put it in its place.
Inner critic voices. We all have one — or a hundred. These are the voices in our heads that berate and bully us. These critical thoughts have the power to hold us captive in our comfort zone, so that we never dip our toes into the land of possibility.
Our inner critic strives to keep us safe, to keep us from being judged, seen, and failing. Unfortunately, this is often a disservice. It keeps us small when we are ready to live BIG. It keeps things the same, when we know that we can do much MORE. Yet, fighting these voices can be exhausting; they can be extremely loud and persuasive. The good news is that there are ways you can defend against your inner critic. Here are some different things you can try the next time you hear that internal voice tearing you down:
Give your inner critic 30 seconds of air time
For 30 seconds, speak aloud the negative thoughts in your head. Then move on. Many people find that the thoughts lose some of their potency after they are voiced.
Identify your inner critic
Give it a name and persona, or even draw a picture of it. This reiterates the idea that your inner critic is not you. Then, the next time you hear it, say, “Oh, there (fill in the name of your inner critic here) goes again.”
Shore up your internal support
You might have one or more inner critics, but you also have an inner leader who is strong, all-knowing, and courageous — and capable of being more powerful than your inner critic. When you feel unsure, listen to your inner leader’s advice instead.
Lastly, take action to silence the noise
Write down your inner critic’s name and its messages on a piece of paper. Place the paper in a sealed container, stow it away in a drawer, or shred it.
Your inner critic is unlikely to disappear right away. Keep choosing to say “No” to its message, and say “Yes” to connecting with your strengths and courage, and taking steps to move forward. Over time, those negative messages will weaken.
