It was an unexpected twist. A seemingly benign LinkedIn training sent Margaret and David into a spiral to silence the inner critic.
Here’s what happened.
Margaret and David attended what promised to be a mundane topic: a training on how to write better posts on LinkedIn.
David left the training beating himself about all he was doing wrong.
His inner critic, nicknamed “The Sledgehammer,” was having its way with him.
When that Inner Critic is railing, there is suffering.
So, how does one even begin to silence the Inner Critic? By which we mean that relentless voice within that can
- dash hopes,
- crush spirits, and
- dismantle even the most inspired of dreams.
In this episode, David, Michelle, and Margaret share their quest to discover the secret to shushing this voice in our minds.
We Don’t Judge ONLY Ourselves
Margaret had a different experience with the training from David’s.
She started by getting locked out of the paid training. She was angry at the host, the trainer, and, by extension, the content of the training.
Acutely aware of falling ‘below the line’ emotionally, Margaret judged others.
Queue: Margaret’s Inner (and Outer) Critic.
Michelle didn’t make it to the training, as she had a conflict.
She talks about “the Blob,” a voice in her mind that made her afraid of missing out on something.
Her critic started telling her she should have made the time to attend live. That’s called judging a circumstance.
The Inner Critic can lurk in unexpected places. (A LinkedIn training? Come on!)
But when it rears its head, it can have a field day. It has us judge — and find wanting — ourselves, others and circumstances.
A Simple but Profound Exercise
Margaret led the trio through a self-compassion practice, which offers a way to reframe the narrative. When we use self-compassion to step out of the shadow of criticism, we can find the light of acceptance.
This simple yet profound exercise counters the inner monologue of harsh self-judgment.
Empathy, self-compassion and quieting that Inner Critic are components of the Fundraising Leadership Positive Intelligence Coaching. This intensive 7-week program can help foster empathy within your life and organization.
Ready to transform your leadership with the practice of self-compassion?
Contact David, Michelle, or Margaret to learn how the Positive Intelligence Coaching Program helps you quiet that nasty, pestering voice that tears you down.
Your team, your organization, and your future self will thank you.