Replacing the Inner Critic with an Inner Guide

We all have an inner critic. The inner critic is the part of you who puts you down, judges you and everything you do, shames you and makes you feel bad about yourself. But the inner critic is not you! It’s an internalization of all the critical voices from your past. Perhaps it’s a combination of a harsh parent or a mean teacher or a bully from your childhood; letting your inner critic determine how you feel is like installing those bullies into your own mind!An effective tool in the process of taming your inner critic is naming the critic. Some clients like to call their inner critic “Mom” or a familiar name of someone from their upbringing. Others like to name it after the bad guys or a not-so-nice character from a movie. After naming the inner critic, you can also name the “inner hero” or “inner guide” you’d like to have in your head instead. The inner hero/guide can support you and reassure you when your inner critic pipes in.