You cannot find peace by avoiding life. - Virginia Woolf

That Inner Critic

Today we are going to work on something that undermines everyone's work - our inner critic. Whether you have been writing your story for a while or are just starting out, your inner critic either has been or will be an unwelcome writing companion. The problem is that many of us just let this annoying guest hang around and tear us down - whispering mean things to us about how bad our writing is or how ridiculous we are to think we could do this work like "real" writers. So, instead of letting this voice haunt you in the background, I want you to bring her into the light. With curiosity and compassion, we are going to examine this voice to see where it came from and why it is so intent on tearing you down.

Explore the following questions. Pick the ones that resonate for you. Free writing is really good here, but stop and start if you need to do so.

Part 1

• Your inner critic is afraid. She thinks she is protecting you from something - very likely something you no longer need protection from! (See the cognitions worksheet on the Lifeline exercise if that helps.) Ask her - what does she think you need to be protected from? What does she want to do? Why?
• Whose voice is this inner critic? Listen to him or her. Does it sound like anyone? (It could be more than one person.) When was the first time you heard those messages? Why does that person still get to live in your head?
• What activities wake up Inner Critic? Pay attention to when it decides it's time to tear you down. (When you dream big? When you decide to tell secrets?? When you decide to explore your creative self? Every time you write?)

Part 2

After you’ve written in response to one of these prompts, I’d like you to write a letter back to your inner critic. Engage her in a dialogue, but be firm when you need to be firm. Defend yourself. Explain to her why her comments are not helpful or appropriate. (It may be helpful to think and write about yourself in the 3rd person in this letter.)

StoryList

Remember to write down any stories that today's work may have brought to the surface. There may not be any or there may be some difficult stories. You are not committing to write everything you write down, so freely jot down anything that comes up.

If you are silent about your pain, they will kill you and say you enjoyed it. -- Zora Neale Hurston