Be Free of Self-Criticism

Wouldn’t it be nice to be able to take control of our worst critical thoughts, disarm them from holding us back, and replace them with what moves us forward, and lifts our spirit?

Oh, but only it was that easy, right? I mean, we know that beating ourselves up doesn’t get us anywhere. If we could simply just stop with the self-doubt, stop with the second-guessing, and set aside those unhelpful parts of ourselves as easily as we set down a cup of tea, then the world would be a much happier and healthier place. 

If you are reading this, then chances are you deal with a disruptive inner critic probably every day. I bet you’ve looked for answers before. I know I searched high and low for many years to build the awesome toolbox I have for silencing the inner critic. And to you I say, you’re on the right track. Keep learning new ways to draw yourself closer to your essence, to your truth, and to your soul. I know what has worked for me, and I’d love to share it with you.

Here are Three Ways to Quiet Your Inner Critic

Number One: The Red Button

Install a red button inside your mind. Yes, I’m serious. The mind is very visual, and the inner critic is on an automatic loop that needs to be intentionally interrupted. The simplest way I’ve found to do this is to use my imagination to install a red button in my mind that I press whenever I catch my inner critic being unhelpful and unkind. Take some time, lay back, and install your red button. Know exactly what it looks like, and where inside your mind you’ve placed it. When you hear that inner critic, press the red button, replace the thought with something helpful, and move on. You may find at first, that it takes a while before you even notice your inner critic has been going on—Don’t worry about that. Catch it as often as you can, and hit that button as many times as you must. With practice, you’ll find yourself pressing that button less and less. One day you may not need it at all, because your mind will eventually become trained to receive inner criticism without believing it. 

Number Two: Put It In a Basket

Another creative, and effective way I’ve learned to silence the inner critic is to put those thoughts in a basket. Now, this can be an actual physical basket, or you can create one in your mind. When you hear a criticism bubble up, imagine yourself taking it out and putting it in the basket. Take the negative thought, and all the feelings that spring up alongside it, and set it outside of yourself. Here’s the key to this technique: Those inner criticisms are not bad, or a bad thing inside of you, okay? They are fears that spring up from your history that only mean to protect you, and are no longer helpful. It’s not a big mean monster. It’s a frightened child whimpering in fear, so when you put it in the basket, you do it with love. And you say, I’ll get back to you in an hour, or two hours, or however long you need a break from that part of yourself. This is what allows your mind to let go, and leave that thought in the basket. You aren’t denying the fear or worry exists; you are acknowledging it and deciding it can wait. This sounds silly, and it can feel silly sometimes, and you what? I like that! A little levity is nice in moments like these and it helps the mind relax. It’s a very powerful exercise.

Number Three: Build Yourself Up

This way works best in tandem with The Red Button or Put It In a Basket, and yeah— you’ve heard it before, this one is about self-care, but maybe not in the way you’ve heard it before. As a soul nurturer, I believe that you are from the divine. I believe that you are exactly where you need to be to perfectly align yourself with your Soul Manifesto, and I believe that you are far too beloved by Spirit to be brought into this world for any reason other than to grow and create and find joy wherever it can be found. Do more nice things for this perfect creation of spirit that you are. Do you love music? Play more music for yourself. Do you love home cooking? Prepare your wonderful self a beautiful meal. Counter those unkind inner criticisms with the knowledge that your soul is so much bigger and more profound than the constraints of this world, and give yourself something to smile about every single day.

Namaste.


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