“Unhooking” From Your Inner Critic

Raise your hand if you’ve ever questioned your own worth (i.e. whether you are good enough/smart enough/strong enough/thin enough/etc.) 🙋🏼‍♀️ 

I was listening to a podcast yesterday titled Psychologists Off The Clock hosted by 3 women psychologists. In their first episode they talked about this nagging voice of self-doubt, commonly known as the “Inner Critic.”

The Inner Critic is sneaky and persuasive. It can show up in our minds often but especially when we are looking to make brave and vulnerable choices. I know for myself, my Inner Critic has become more present since I decided to start my own therapy business. As I continue to take risks and put myself out there professionally, I get nagging pushback that I am not capable or that no one will care about what I have to say. When my Inner Critic is at her loudest, I am often left at a crossroad: I can either give in and give up, or I can ignore that voice of doubt and keep going. Making the decision to keep going is never easy! But it is empowering to know that my Inner Critic does not control my life. 

One strategy I find helpful in moments of self doubt is to literally “unhook” myself from my Inner Critic. I do this by visualizing an actual “hook” that connects my body to my Inner Critic. I imagine placing my hand on the base of the hook and physically taking it off the latch. I have now “unhooked” myself and am free to move in the direction I choose, leaving my Inner Critic behind. 

I encourage you to try this technique next time you are experiencing that nagging voice of self-doubt. Recognize your Inner Critic as an entity separate from yourself. It does not define you and is only there to hold you back from your dreams and full potential. 

What other strategies have you used to challenge your Inner Critic?