We all have one. Some of us may be so used to our inner critic that we don’t realize we have one. And some of us think that our inner critic is us. One of the times that we may notice our inner critic is when there are other people around. Let’s say you’re at work and your team has been given a problem to solve. The manager calls out for ideas. Are you going to hold back even though you have an idea? An idea that might not only be good for you but for your team?
Where Does the Inner Critic Come From?
Many, many people have varying degrees of NeuroStructural Shift; a shift in structural alignment of the body and a shift from a healthy nervous system to a stressed nervous system (Attenuated Autonomic Disorder). This NeuroStructural Shift results from continued adaptation to stress. The human body tries to protect itself in order to survive. And it ends up rationing its energy reserves. This is when a whole host of secondary conditions start appearing including pain, poor sleep, anxiety, nerve and disc problems, arthritis, etc.
The inner critic comes from the bodymind trying to protect itself. The inner critic serves as a barrier between us and our fears of rejection and feelings of shame and wrongness.
So How Do We Silence Our Inner Critic?
Step 1 – Realize that your inner critic will always give you the same information. Regardless of the situation, regardless of whether the answer is right or wrong, whether it will be rejected or not, the inner critic will always tell you the same thing.
Step 2 – Breathe. Change how you’re holding your body. Feel your lungs expanding, chest rising, open your chest and lift your energy up.
Step 3 – Think of the possibility that your inner critic could be wrong. At the very least, know that since it will always gives you the same answer, consider that there may be other answers. There may be other possible outcomes.
Step 4 – Even if the solution is rejected, consider that something good will come of it. Maybe your answer isn’t quite right but it inspires the right answer from one of your coworkers. By sharing your thoughts, you may be perceived as a creative thinker or at least someone who is not afraid to contribute.
Is the inner critic all bad? Absolutely not, sometimes I wish my inner critic would keep me from putting my foot in my mouth. But what we don’t want is for our inner critic to be running the show, keeping us from sharing and expressing ourselves, learning from our mistakes, getting beyond those uncomfortable feelings that hold us back, expressing our creativity and intuition and sharing with others and inspiring community.