Silence the Inner Critic

Many of us have a tendency to criticize ourselves, making harsh self-judgments. That's how we play small. We don't have to put a label on ourselves as "good or bad" or "success or failure" because of some of our past choices. Some choices just teach us to do it differently next time for a different result. Actually those results just give us feedback. Period. Based on the results of past decisions, we can make another choice next time if we choose.

It is important to be self-accepting, even if we believe another choice would have been better for us. Remember, we are still learning. We are in the process of becoming our fully realized selves. This process is a journey, and we really need to be patient with ourselves along the way. I believe we always do the best we can at the time, even if it isn't good enough. Sometimes we don't have the information we need to make a better choice. Sometimes our emotional state prevents us from making a wiser decision in that moment.

Here is a short, playful exercise to help you release the power of your inner critic when it emerges.

Take a few, long, slow deep breaths, relaxing yourself completely.

Using your imagination, create a picture in your mind of your own "inner critic." It might resemble a cartoon character. Mine resembles a distorted monster.

Think of a way to destroy that critic. You may choose to shrink it, explode it, melt it down, etc.

In its place, create an affirming character, one who reminds you that even if you have problems and perceived limitations, you are still OKatherine. You are lovable and capable. Mine is a powerful Light Being.

Know that we always have a choice. We can choose to allow the inner critic to overpower us, or we can use the power of love and compassion to heal. Love is a sacred vibration. It lifts us out of our limited awareness and transforms our old illusions of being separated from our Source. We can direct it like a laser beam to those fragmented parts of us that need healing. Our past choices can be transformed by shifting the energy through compassion. Love transforms. When we heal the traumas of the inner child in us, we heal the adult. We can choose to love ourselves with all of our problems and perceived limitations. Loving ourselves is a healing elixir.