How to Soothe Your Inner Critic
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Am I the only one with an active inner critic? I didn’t think so. The Critic can be useful when you’re doing your last line-edit. But when you’re generating and drafting your ideas, that Critic puts a damper on the flow of creativity.
Some people may be able to eliminate their Critic. The rest of us, however, need new ways to relate to the Critic, so we can keep our creative selves flowing-even with a mean voice or pointed finger in our minds.
Here are a few ways to shake the Critic-hold loose when it’s in full gear.
* Be grateful for the present moment-your breath, the turning leaves, your computer screen.
* Exhale allllll the air out of your bronchioles. You’d be surprised what you may be
holding onto.
* Give your Critic a funny name or appearance-and laugh at it.
* Remind yourself of how far you’ve come.
* Notice your body in the present moment. Feel your skin: the air, clothing, gravity
and sensations.
* Write long-hand for 20 minutes. The computer screen brings out the evil editor.
* Draw a picture.
* Move your body. Stand and stretch.
* See if the Critic “lives” in a certain part of your body-maybe your shoulders. Do
some yoga or counter movements to loosen that hold.
* Push the Critic out of your body. Feel yourself without that energy inside you.
* Tell the Critic to leave the room, stay in the car, go to the coffee shop. You’ll
check in with it later. (I did this when I was on TV. It helped me be more relaxed,
and I did check in with it’s opinion when it was all over.)
* Remember that the Critic is only thoughts, not reality.
A useful book for addressing your inner critic is Rick Carson’s Taming
Your Gremlin.
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Sondra Kornblatt is a freelance writer who focuses on wellness and health. She is also the owner and creator of Creative Insomnia, a program who people who have trouble sleeping. Email Sondra to learn more about her writing services or her Creative Insomnia program and workshops.
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