Welcome back.
In our last exploration,
I introduced you to the metal element and its power to embody you,
To establish clear boundaries,
And to cultivate clarity,
Radical honesty,
And courage to reveal the essence of who you are and what you bring to this world.
The true power of the metal element,
Of your potential to refine and alchemise,
Can be accessed only through the process of being radically honest with yourself and others,
So you can shed what is unnecessary,
And extract and keep what is essential for your growth.
Today,
We embark on an exploration to embody and harness the energy of metal through a writing exploration,
To harness the power of your inner critic.
If you have ever struggled with moments of self-doubt,
Remember that you are not alone.
This struggle with the inner critic is universal,
Because just like the inner champion,
This is inherent and part of the creative process.
The inner critic is a psychological concept used to describe a part of your personality that judges or demeans you,
Your work,
Or your behaviours.
It's that inner voice that makes you feel small,
Not good enough,
And blocked.
For many of us,
The inner critic is incredibly harsh,
Unkind,
And impossible to silence.
It may have a big booming voice,
Or be aggressively telling you that you are wrong,
Your idea isn't good enough,
Or that you shouldn't even have started.
Conversely,
It may sound more nuanced and gentle,
But cause you to feel fearful,
Limited,
Or constricted.
For many of us,
The inner critic tends to sound like,
Who am I to do this?
I don't know what I'm doing.
I'll never be good enough.
You may also feel the inner critic taking up space in your body when you feel constricted,
Your breath is shallow,
Or when you feel small.
I've tried various ways of managing my inner critic,
Including ignoring it,
Trying to silence it,
Or even befriending it.
The most effective approach,
However,
Is getting to know it,
And seeking to understand the why beneath its harsh words.
It's important to remember that the inner critic has a key role.
Beneath its harsh,
Piercing words,
At the heart of the inner critic,
It wants to protect you from danger,
Disappointment,
And harm.
For many of us,
This inner critic was created as a self-protection mechanism,
Resulting from past experiences we had growing up.
Its purpose is to protect you from the vulnerability of stepping outside of your comfort zone,
And to prevent you from suffering the pain of failure or regret.
If you grew up in an environment that was dangerous to your creativity,
Your inner critic might be a real warrior by the time you became an adult.
In our exploration for the metal element today,
We harness the power of your inner critic by writing two letters.
In the first letter,
Give voice to your negative self-beliefs in the form of an uncensored letter from your inner critic to yourself.
In the second letter,
Write a letter back from yourself to your inner critic,
Using reasoning and evidence to correct the distorted beliefs and to point out distruths,
And paint a clearer and more complete picture of yourself,
Your achievements,
And your capabilities.
I find it easier for me to write the first letter from the inner critic to myself,
On a day or moment when I'm feeling particularly self-critical.
You may wish to do the same,
Or do it in a moment or in a way that feels right for you.
Let's get started.
Please prepare some writing materials,
And start writing a letter to yourself from your inner critic.
First,
Take a moment to connect with your inner critic.
Are they stern,
Fearful,
Worried,
Or protective?
Does your inner critic or critics have a name or even a persona?
How and where do they show up,
And what happens when they show up?
When you feel ready to give voice to your inner critic,
Begin to write as your inner critic,
Addressing this letter to yourself.
If you have a nickname,
Use that.
The critic knows you well,
And would use a familiar name.
Take the next five minutes to write a letter from your inner critic to yourself.
What would your inner critic say?
What is their purpose,
Their job,
Their intentions,
And pointing out your shortcomings?
What do they think are your key shortcomings?
How do they think others see you?
What do they think will happen if you make mistakes or fail?
What do they encourage you to do in your career,
Relationships,
And your creative endeavors?
And why?
And is there anything else they want you to know?
How is it that they want to help you?
Remember that here you are giving voice to your own naysayer,
The voice that casts doubt on your abilities.
Let the inner critic really go at it.
Now let's take the next few moments to wrap up this letter.
Fold this letter up and put it in an envelope or folder,
And put it out of sight.
I like to leave a gap,
Typically a few days between writing this first letter and writing the second letter to allow some perspective and space.
I find it particularly effective to write the second letter in a moment when I feel calm and objective.
You might wish to do the same.
If and when you feel ready to continue the second half of this exploration,
Retrieve the letter from your inner critic,
And please take the next few moments to very slowly and mindfully read through this letter from your inner critic to yourself.
As you read this letter,
Notice any feelings,
Thoughts surfacing.
When you are done reading this letter,
Allow a few moments to reflect on the contents of the letter.
What does it sound like?
Can you picture it?
Does it remind you of someone you know?
Maybe someone in your past?
And how do you feel now,
Having understood the motivations behind your inner critic's harsh words?
What did you learn about yourself through getting to know your inner critic?
Take a few moments to reflect on this.
And now,
When you feel ready,
Please prepare your writing materials,
And we'll now take the next five minutes to write a heartfelt reply from yourself to your inner critic.
Don't censor yourself.
Be as honest as you can.
Acknowledge,
And if it feels right,
Thank your inner critic for what it thinks it is contributing to your life.
Listen for anything that might come,
Even the small things it thinks it does for you.
Reflect on the inner critic's beliefs,
Both positive and negative.
Are they accurate?
What evidence has the inner critic overlooked or distorted?
What achievements and areas of growth have your inner critic ignored or underplayed?
Tell your inner critic how you feel about how it is speaking to you,
And how it might be hurting you or limiting your growth.
Let your inner critic know how you would like to be treated,
And how you would like your relationship with it to change and transform.
And lastly,
Tell your inner critic about your hopes,
Your dreams,
And how it can more effectively support you in your life.
In this last minute,
End off your letter by establishing boundaries with your inner critic,
And ask it to step aside for a week to allow you space to learn and grow.
Tell your inner critic you'll be stepping into your creative potential,
And you need freedom.
Ask for its help in letting you to try.
Let's take the next few moments to wrap up this letter.
Fold this letter up,
Put it in an envelope or folder,
And place it out of sight.
If you wish to,
Later on you can keep it and reread it at any time you wish,
Making any adjustments or elaborating on anything further.
Do anything else you need today to find closure from this exercise.
This might be taking a walk,
Sitting in meditation,
Or talking about it with someone you love and trust.
Mark on your calendar to follow up in a week.
After a week,
Take five minutes to free ride about any changes or shifts you've noticed.
Notice if there might be fewer blocks in your creative process,
Perhaps if you experience less negative self-talk.
As autumn transitions to winter,
The leaves start to fall,
And slowly the trees become barren.
The earth is covered with a blanket of pure white snow,
And all of nature transitions into hibernation.
Metal gives rise to water,
Completing the creative cycle,
And we return to where we started in this never-ending cycle.
Having explored all of the five elements,
In our next conversation I will guide you through a returning to harness and balance the full creative cycle.
I'll see you there.
