My Inner Critic is Unkind

Actually, she's worse than that. Some days she's downright nasty.

Popping up when I least expect her. Not just when I'm creating but throughout the day as I'm going about my own business.

There hasn't been someone wearing braces in our house for over 4 years. But today I found a tiny rubber band that fits snugly around a set of braces. It was tucked in the corner, behind the leg of a desk in a pile of other dusty, like-minded objects.

I do like tidy. I don't like cleaning. 

Who should arrive but Inner Critic chiming in with her rude comments. I actually didn't invite her to this cleaning party. Or any of my parties truth be told.

She has a tendency to show up unexpectedly making uncalled for comments. She really likes to go after my vulnerabilities. My soft spots. My insecurities. Of which it seems I have many.

She's overall quite inconsiderate.  She tells me what I'm doing just doesn't matter. That I'm not good enough. She tells me I'm wasting my time. That I'm silly. Old. Undeserving. She tells me to quit trying.....blah, blah, blah. 

And to make matters worse some days Inner Critic's words mix up smoothly with discouraging and/or judgmental remarks from other people. That's a real downer. Whip this up in a blender for half a second. Voila!

Criticism for the win. 

Negative thinking runs amuck. Foregone conclusions. Difficulties. Obstacles. Adversity.

Really?

The reality is that I can only follow my own path. My own journey. My own life. No matter what anyone says. I have to write my own script as Chase Jarvis says in his videos. Pursue my destination.

I mean whose life is this anyway?

Who allowed Inner Critic to be judge and jury?

Who gave others jurisdiction to make decisions on my behalf?

Some of you might be able to relate. Others probably think I should be in counseling for consorting with someone called Inner Critic. And others might be feeling the need to call 911 for fear I am hearing voices.

Here's the deal. Criticism in all it's various forms is inevitable. And, honestly sometimes there are painful things we need to hear. But, I would like to suggest that generally we are our own worst enemy. Often we misinterpret what someone is saying or maybe what they are not saying. This is not to negate mean spirited criticism because that does exist. But rather I would like to encourage each one of us to be a tad kinder to ourselves.

Recognize your courage.

Give grace to your dreams.

And have compassion for your life's unique journey.

In the future I'm going to smile upon each tiny orthodontic elastic band I find as a sweet relic from the past.

And even better I found a room for Inner Critic in the shed at the back of the house. She'll be relocating.

How can you be kinder to yourself?