A simple, yet powerful response that I find useful to silence the inner critic during an attack.
Typically, it might go something like this.
Something has been said, or not said, or has happened a day or two back which - despite my best efforts to let it go and pay no heed to it whatsoever - has quietly (or sometimes not so quietly) been churning away on the inside ever since. Until eventually, it has whipped itself up into a mammoth & falsely significant internal frenzy, somehow aligned closely to one or more of my deepest vulnerabilities and fears.
This is precisely what the inner critic does. It thrives by keeping its keen senses peeled always for the smallest of things such to manipulate and build up into bullshit treacherous harpy tunes of self-doubt & beating up behaviour of the highest order within the mind. Faaaark!
The inner critic is pretty conniving like that, huh. I've been around the block a few times by now though, and thankfully not for nothing. I'm catching onto its devious little tricks and counteracting with various cunning tactics of my own.
One of the most simple ways I've learnt to silence the inner critic is this...
Breaking from the inner critic's dastardly clutches
It works like this for me: Doubt makes us question ourselves, hesitate, procrastinate & largely mistrust the validity of our ideas and our own worthiness, yes?
Have you ever wondered though, why when self-doubt comes lurking, we’re automatically on the lookout for all the reasons that confirm the inner critic's perspective, rather than doubting the doubt itself?
WHEN IT COMES TO OUR INNER CRITIC, WHY DO WE TEND TO DOUBT OURSELVES MORE THAN WE DOUBT THE DOUBTING TOM ITSELF? CRAZY CAT LADY STUFF RIGHT THERE WHEN YOU REALLY START THINKING ABOUT IT
And so...
3 simple, yet hugely powerful little words that can help silence the inner critic when it attacks
These three small yet powerful words I find a Godsend when thy inner critic starts warbling its most popular hits at me. I simply ask it:
ARE YOU SURE?
ARE YOU SURE ABOUT WHAT YOU'RE SAYING THERE? I MEAN IT JUST SOUNDS LIKE IT HAS THE POTENTIAL TO BE A COMPLETE LOAD OF BOLLOCKS, SO LET'S JUST TAKE A MOMENT TO LOOK AT THE FACTS SHALL WE...
Why do these 3 simple words often work so well for me to silence the inner critic?
Because I'm letting a slither of doubt about the self-doubt in...
As soon as I can prove to myself that ANY of the crap thy inner critic is hurling at me and reverberating around in my head incessantly IS IN FACT UNTRUE...
Well, then I find myself (and rightly so) questioning the validity behind all of the non-constructive thoughts it was hitherto invested in sucking me into... and finding them lacking any real credibility.
For example...
IC: "OMG you're absolutely hopeless at everything. You're just a big fat failure."
ME: "Well actually, I AM VERY GOOD AT XXX, this I KNOW to be TRUE"
Or...
IC: "You're SO weird, nobody likes you."
ME: "Well THAT PERSON does really like and care about me, this I KNOW to be the TRUTH."
In this way, I find the focus can often be redirected into doubting our demons and not our truth.
You might also enjoy these other perceptions and approaches to silence the inner critic. I find it heaps more fun to get creative with it, and perhaps you do too xx
Much love,
xAnthea
PLEASE NOTE:
I am in no way masquerading as a health professional. Any content published on this website has been inspired largely by my own personal experiences or those of others, and should not be understood or construed as professional or medical health care advice. Neither is this website intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any health condition or disease. In full transparency, while aspects of this site may enable a source of income to help make its continued upkeep possible, the central focus is always encouragement which is lavished freely. Any products & services promoted have been used by me personally and shared only where I believe they may be of interest and benefit to you, dear reader.
