3 Signs The Inner Critic is Active and Clouding Your Perception

Owning the trajectory of your career means accepting that there is not a predictable, linear path.  Twists and turns are par for the course. What may not be on par is your self-compassion in response to the unpredictable. To cope with these surprising changes, you’ll need to make a practice of self-reflection. If, while doing so, you find yourself lacking when it comes to extending compassion to yourself when pondering your character, actions, or motives, you may need to check your inner critic.

Wherever you are along the course of your career, it’s important to meet yourself without judgement.  Making this intentional choice is the difference between developing conscious knowledge of yourself or engaging the inner voice that tears you down instead of building you up.

Objective self-reflection guides rather than criticize, yielding valuable self-awareness.  You can’t change what you can’t see.  Remember: Judgement blinds whereas compassion reveals.

The first step to quieting the inner critic is to recognize when it’s active and clouding your perception.

Prime examples include:

Worrying too much about what others think

When you aim to fit in instead of belonging, you lose sight of what’s right for you.  Your inner critic is shortchanging you.

Leaving your lane

Don’t allow yourself to get distracted by someone else’s pathway.  Losing sight of your own journey conceals your progress until you are only aware of disappointment and not capabilities.

Becoming your own worst enemy  

You will never speak to anyone more than your inner voice speaks to you.  Be kind to yourself.

Underneath the voice of the inner critic is a voice of truth that is attune to your goals, emotions, and perspective.  The cure to quieting the inner critic is living by your truth. Building your sense of self and shoring up your values and beliefs tames the negative voice, identifying your truth.  You won’t be preoccupied with other’s thoughts and opinions because you know your own value, and you won’t be blinded by negativity because you’ll have a clear sense of purpose to appreciate when successes – big and small – occur along your way.

There are many methods available to give rise to your voice of truth. Learning even a few will add momentum to your trajectory, accelerating your success and sense of fulfillment.  Stay tuned and join my list for timely tips on taming the inner critic.