I’m reading Tara Mohr: Playing Big: Practical Wisdom for Women Who Want to Speak Up, Create, and Lead.
The first chapter does a great job of describing the ever present inner critic. I appreciate Mohr’s insight that messages from this part of ourselves are designed to protect us from emotional risk.
In another chapter she offers an exercise designed to imagine our future selves. I felt hesitant to tackle this visualization after I read the instructions: add twenty years to your age.
My inner critic rapidly spoke up to tell me that no one as old as I was should even consider this type of nonsense. This cheeky critic even spoke for Mohr saying she didn’t have old people in mind when designing this exercise.
I had to take charge. First, there was murmuring under my breath,”I know you are trying to keep me safe” and then a raised voice asking for silence,
The visualization of my 92 year old self began. I pictured dancing in flowing purple silk, my body slim and flexible, surrounded by loved ones, trees, and books. I was having a good time. The exercise continued with me feeling non-judgemental, creative, and full of relief at finally knowing how to use Microsoft Word. Love was all around.
The critic was quiet.
Do you recognize your inner critic?
Can you imagine your future self in twenty years? Let me know how adding twenty years to your current age and then imagining yourself goes for you. It’s reassuring for me to think that during this visualization I could be stronger than the critical voice.
Can you recognize your inner critic? What message does your inner critic whisper in your head? Can you silence it? I’d love to hear from you!
Thanks for exploring the mystery – Nicky Mendenhall