The inner critic, gremlin, nasty voice in your head – whatever you call it, you’ve got one.
Here’s mine.
She’s harmless enough until something I’ve done (or not done) gets her attention and suddenly…
She unleashes a torrent of judgment and furious opinion that leaves me reeling, some days weeping.
She’s me, not me. A tangle of stories and limiting beliefs accumulated over a lifetime.
She lurks, waiting for just the right moment to pull the rug out from under me triggering feelings of lack, disappointment, and doubt.
Her name is Medusa, and like her namesake who struck fear into the hearts of men, one stinging comment or look from her and I am immobilized.
And yet, I do my best to befriend her, to quiet her strident, demanding voice.
Some days this feels like an exercise in futility; other days I get through to her and the result is always worth the effort.
For Medusa (naming your inner critic is powerful) is not the enemy despite the frenzy she stirs up.
She exists for your survival (one more aspect of your lizard brain), ensuring you stay out of trouble, and she has one overriding goal – to keep you safe.
Everything else, including how you feel, is secondary to that goal.
She shows up, uninvited like an over-zealous friend trying to get her point across without regard for your feelings. You know someone like this; their intentions are good, if somewhat clouded by their questionable tactics.
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