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How to make friends with your inner critic
Make your inner critic the Blair to your Serena
Last week, we swotted up on Transactional Analysis Psychology to find out where our inner critic comes from. Today, we’re going to inch a little closer to taking back some of its power by asking this question: what is our inner critic trying to do?
You might be surprised to hear us say this, but…
*Controversial opinion*: maybe your inner critic is actually trying to help you.
We talk a lot of sh*t about ‘Russell’ (that’s what our founder, Molly, calls her inner critic), but our inner critic can also be the best friend (or frenemy) we didn’t realise we had. Sure, it says negative things and makes us feel bad — but, underneath it all, there’s a method to its madness.
While it might seem strange to make friends with our inner critic, in order to manage it, we need to at least listen to what it’s really trying to say. Often, its underlying intention is to help, motivate or protect us.
“Without a loud and overbearing inner critic, I can say without a shadow of a doubt that I’d never have started my business,” says Molly.
Try this exercise
Think about a time when something has gone well for you. It could be a new job, a promotion, or a compliment from a friend.
Pay attention to what your inner critic told you in the lead up to this. Although it may not have felt like a helpful narrative at the time, notice how it helped you and how it didn’t.
When did your inner critic serve you well?
Comment below or join the conversation on Instagram to share a time when your inner critic kinda had your back.
If you haven’t already, don’t forget to subscribe for weekly tips, knowledge and resources to help you tell your inner critic to f*ck off.
And finally, some food for thought: if more of us knew about our inner critic and how to manage it, would the world be a better place? Share with a friend if you think the answer is yes 😉