Are you Embracing or Ignoring Your Inner Critic?

We all have a voice inside of us that tries to get in the way of our happiness. This voice mocks us, pushes us around, and says mean things about us that we sometimes start to believe as true. Ladies and gents, it is my pleasure to introduce you to your inner critic.We all have an inner critic inside of us, and it is determined to hold us back in life. It’s goal is to rob us of our abilities, worth, and values. The inner critic is so good at what it does sometimes that we fall for the illusions it creates, and we unleash havoc on our soul and create chaos in our minds.The inner critic creates a huge problem in our spiritual lives. It’s also a sign that our spirit is in need of some maintenance. When we don’t feel our best spiritually, we experience feeling lost or confused, and our inner critic thrives off of that energy. The inner critic causes us to focus on comparing, doubting, and evaluating ourselves, and that can remove us from the present moment. Spirituality relies on our ability to be present. When the inner critic pops up, we can’t focus on what’s happening in front of us because we’re too busy trying to tend to those thoughts. By constantly trying to please the inner critic, we move further away from ourselves, others, and a higher power. The inner critic will make us forget that we have a higher self, and that our higher self should always be connected to a Divine power.We are never too “evolved “ or “spiritual” to not have an inner critic inside of us, and if we have experienced spiritual awakening, we understand that it’s not something we can just “turn off.” It’s also something we can’t afford to ignore either. The further we go in our spiritual journey, we will grow to understand that even though it may seem to work against us, the inner critic is still a part of our being and it’s trying to reveal something to us.Spiritual wellness depends on our ability to embrace and silence the inner critic so we can maintain control in our lives mentally, physically, and spiritually. Here’s how.

Acknowledge your inner critic.

Human nature tells us that we should just ignore these thoughts, but ignoring them will only make them grow into bigger problems for us. If we can shift our mindset to view the inner critic’s opinion as concerns for our well-being, we can acknowledge them for what they are and move from them in a positive way. When we find ourselves battling with our inner critic, we should acknowledge and thank it for bringing those concerns to us.Dethroningyourinnercritic.com says “When we are connected to the divine energy within us, we can remember that sometimes the pain we are experiencing is there to show us something. The pain is actually meant to point us in a different direction so that we can breakthrough. When we have a sense of spirituality, we can experience the pain as a breakthrough rather than a breakdown.” If we can connect our inner critic with positive intentions, we can change how we respond to them.

Ask yourself why you are feeling this way.

There’s a reason why our inner critic has presented these negative thoughts to us, and it’s not always so surface level. When this voice reveals a mean or negative thought, we have to ask ourselves why we are being provoked to feel this way. Questions we can ask ourselves include:• What is my inner Critic saying about me?• Is this opinion based on what I know to be true or purely false?• Where did I learn to think this way?• Does thinking this way make any logical sense?• What is my inner Critic saying about me?• Where did this opinion come from?A lot of times, these thoughts are triggered from past situations that may have left us feeling incapable or unworthy. This is where we have to change the location of our minds. When we switch our mind out of our inner critic mind to our more peaceful, centered mind, we can be connected to our future instead of the past. We have to look at these thoughts as are our inner critic trying to communicate a bigger message to us so that we avoid going backwards in life. By getting to the bottom of what’s really causing us to criticize ourselves so harshly, we can build a foundation that will help empower and encourage us to become more spiritually well individuals.

Remember who you are.

Life coach and author of The Bright Space Blog, Jessica Dowches-Wheeler describes self-awareness as “the ability to monitor our inner world.” When we are able to separate what is happening inside of us as inevitable parts of the human experience rather than blaming ourselves or looking for something to be wrong with us, we can free ourselves from limiting beliefs. Sometimes the best way to silence the inner critic is to remind ourselves that we are worthy and capable of taking on whatever the universe throws in our direction. Using affirmations or “I am” statements like “I am good enough,” “I deserve to be happy,” and “I know what I’m capable of doing,” on a daily basis, especially when the inner critic is making itself loud and clear will help us redirect ourselves when facing those tough moments.Over time, we can learn to face the inner critic inside of us with courage, kindness, and understanding. Part of spiritual awakening involves facing the things that scare or intimidate us. When we can face our inner critic and let go of these thoughts, we allow the grace of the universe to flow through us. Like it was mentioned earlier, our inner critic is our breakthrough moment and this breakthrough can help us step into who the universe called us to be. Instead of fleeing from the crippling thoughts our inner critic provokes, we should accept the invitation it offers for rediscovering ourselves, wisdom, and peace.