What would you do if your inner critic didn’t stop you?

How often have you blamed another person or what’s going on in your world for you not being where you want to be?

Never, occasionally, regularly?

This may be how you are feeling but it doesn’t have to be your reality. You may be feeling like life is being done to you but the power to change things rests in your hands. The only person who is actually responsible for where you want to go is you. You have the power to make your reality what you want it to be.

Instead of focusing on why things aren’t quite right start focusing on how to make things right. Start believing that anything is possible. What would that feel like?

Would you have the courage to apply for that amazing job?

Would you be brave enough to say no instead of always saying yes?

Would you decide to be the woman you always knew you were meant to be?

In life, we are often held back by just one thing. One person. Ourselves. The sad thing is it’s not even really us who’s making the decisions. It’s our choice to listen to our inner critic. Mine is affectionately known as Vera.

Vera is neither good nor bad. She’s just trying to keep me safe. Stop me from failing, making a fool of myself or getting hurt. 

As well as doing her job, really well I might add, she’s also got the power to stop me from fulfilling my full potential. Now that’s not on. So instead I choose to listen and then decide what I know to be my next best move.

I invite you to do the same. Here are some tips that will help you.

Name that voice

Your inner voice is not you so to separate her from you give her a name. This may seem a bit weird but it will help. Over time you will more quickly know whether the thoughts in your head are actually yours or your inner critic doing their job!

Make a list

Think back to when you were a child. What did you want to do? Who did you want to be? Where did you want to go? Start to remember the dreams you once had and that made you excited.

Make it real

Not everything you dreamed of doing when you were a child may be appropriate or relevant today. You may want to ignore or tweak some so that they are more aligned with the values you have today.

Go for it

Decide which dream is going to be your reality. It could be the one that gets you most excited. It could be the one that you can do now. It could be the one that needs no planning. Just pick one and feel how amazing it would be to actually do it.