If every critic could silence every artist,
How would the world be then?
Welcome to Coached by Nikki Dyer.
We are our own worst critics already.
We know our flaws better than anyone else.
Hearing them in someone else's voice makes them feel real.
I get asked a lot how to live with judgmental and critical people.
This is an issue for everyone,
Including myself.
So what do you do when somebody gets inside your head?
Let's begin here by closing down your eyes and connecting to the moment by taking a deep breath in.
And exhale as you let the breath go.
As you take another breath in,
Expanding the lungs as you hold at the top.
And exhale as you let your lingering thoughts go.
Feel how the air flows effortlessly in and out.
Listen to the way the music dances softly in the background.
Notice how your breath has found a gentle rhythm of its own.
What do you do when somebody gets in your head?
I write and share from wounded places inside my own heart as a way to heal.
I write where it is I am struggling in almost real time.
And these recordings become an offering of what I need to hear most in my own voice.
I listen to them over and over until they become my truth.
And I share these with you.
Because I know it is vulnerability that connects us all.
It is my responsibility to connect us.
And by doing this I receive hundreds of comments each month of encouragement and kindness.
Messages that continue to remind me I am a voice for so many.
And yet,
The scattered comments of hate and disapproval always seem to stick with me.
So here I am,
Once again sharing an experience from my own life with you.
As a reminder that every one of us experiences judgment and criticism.
Even under the purest of intentions.
Take a deep breath in with me here.
And exhale as you unclench your jaw.
As you remove your tongue from the roof of your mouth.
As you encourage your body to reset a little deeper still.
We physically hold on to stress in the least noticeable of ways.
If I asked you to see a dream.
The dream that you can't stop thinking about for yourself.
The one your heart longs for.
That fear or someone's criticism is keeping you from.
Does someone come to mind?
Is it more than one person?
Is this person you?
And once you have someone or something,
Just give yourself a little nod as a way of connecting a little deeper.
We all have longings of our heart.
Dreams and goals that we want more than anything to have the courage to do.
And sometimes other people's criticism gets in the way of that.
Sometimes other people voice our biggest fears.
You can't change other people.
Their patterns,
Insecurities or fears.
But you can choose what you focus on.
I know you.
You believe that what you are doing is important.
So important.
Whatever it is.
Maybe it could change the world.
And perhaps they're right and it won't.
But it's definitely going to change yours.
So let them catastrophize.
Maybe they're even right in a way for some people.
This is not for them.
This is for you.
And for the people who need it.
Why should you give anyone the power to take it away from you?
To take it away from them?
If every critic could silence every artist,
How would the world be?
We all have gifts that we are here to share.
Whatever you are being presented with,
To gift to the world and to impact the people around you.
The business,
The art,
The book idea,
The dream.
I encourage you to just say yes.
To it all.
To everything.
No matter how loud the critics get.
To know that this will be your life.
And from my own vulnerable heart to yours.
Whoever you are.
Wherever you are.
When someone tells you that your dream cannot be done.
I hope you always remember that you are seeing a reflection of their limits.
And not yours.
So take a final deep breath in here with me.
And on the out breath,
Let it all go.
The fears,
The insecurities,
The criticisms,
The doubts.
Just leave it all here.
Start to bring some gentle movements back to your body.
Moving your fingers and your hands.
Rolling out your neck and your shoulders.
And finally open your eyes.
Have I told you how grateful I am to have you here?
Because I certainly am.
