It seems like we all have one. That voice in our heads that criticizes everything we do and keeps us from being the confident, self-assured women we really are. It may be the voice of a parent, a teacher, or our own doubt, but it keeps us from stepping out, reaching our potential and fulfilling our dreams.
You don’t have to listen to it. There are ways to silence, or at least ignore, the phrases that seem to cycle through our minds.
Change the subject. If the words were coming from a real person you could change the subject. Do the same thing with the voice in your head. Simply focus on something else – a song, a task that needs to be done, or even the multiplication tables.
Replace the negative with the positive. When you hear that inner critic tell you how inept you are, just remind yourself out loud of all the things you can do well. If you are so insecure that you can’t readily think of your talents and successes, spend an hour writing a list of things you have done well or overcome in the past. Get help from a friend if you need to. Keep it with you and read it when your inner critic threatens to close your goals down.
Don’t entertain negativity. When those thoughts come to you, don’t agree with them. When you are reminded of something you didn’t do well or that challenged you in the past just push the thought away and refuse to dwell on it.
Stilling the inner critic takes consistent practice but it can be done over time. Fire that critic and replace her with a cheerleader!
photo credit: ClydeCloutier
