Welcome powerful hearts,
Today's intention is a guided experience to help you silence the inner critic and come back to a deep sense of self-compassion and worthiness.
So when you're ready you can close your eyes and as we start to drop in,
I share a bit of context and an opening prayer for you around this inner critic.
So feel my heart and intention as you understand that most people try to silence their inner critic by mostly argument,
Arguing with it,
By forcing toxic positivity,
By pretending it isn't there or shaming themselves for even having it but your inner critic isn't actually your enemy.
In most cases it is usually a younger part of you,
A younger part that has a survival strategy,
A voice that believes that criticism will keep you safe,
Accepted,
Loved.
So today,
Beautiful being,
Powerful heart,
We are not here to fight it,
We are here to hear it,
To soften it and to replace your shame loops with something stronger,
Self-compassion.
Let us begin.
With me now,
Taking a big mindful breath in through your nose,
Into your belly,
Holding at the top,
Breathing a little bit more in and letting go.
Doing this again with me,
Breathing in through your nose,
Into your belly,
Holding at the top and breathing a little bit more in.
As you sit or lie down comfortably,
I invite you to bring awareness to where your body meets the ground and where it meets the ground,
Press your feet,
Press your back,
Press whatever part of your body is touching,
Press it against the ground,
Against the bed,
Against the chair.
Feel what is supporting you,
Feel what is holding you,
Let your nervous system register and understand that you are safe here,
You are safe with me and you are safe with yourself.
Breathing in to this and breathing out.
Now with a lot of gentleness and ease,
We will allow the inner critic voice of yours to surface.
So bringing it into your awareness and asking the simple question,
What do you say most often?
Maybe the inner critic is in the loop of,
You are not good enough.
You are behind.
Maybe the inner critic whispers,
You always mess things up.
You're too much or even you are not enough.
Whatever your unique version of the inner critic is,
Give it space.
We are not here to spiral or to indulge the inner critic voice,
But simply to acknowledge its presence,
To notice how it sounds,
Sharpness,
The coldness,
The urgency or disappointment and to notice where you feel it in your body.
Maybe your inner critic comes up in a tightening of your chest,
Maybe it's a restricting of your throat,
Sinking in your stomach,
Clenching of your jaw.
Whatever your somatic embodied expression of the inner critic is,
Simply with me,
Observe it.
Be here watching it.
Be the watcher with me.
As we see your inner critic,
For all that it is,
Remembering our breath and asking the inner critic sternly,
What are you trying to protect me from?
Pause and listen.
Often our inner critic fears rejection,
Failure,
Embarrassment,
Persecution,
Abandonment,
Feeling unworthy,
Unloved.
So listen to your inner critic and its fear with one hand placed on your heart and with me repeating sternly and boldly,
I see you,
I see you,
I know you're trying to help,
I know you're trying to help.
With me noticing what shifts and we take a moment to stop fighting,
Shaming the inner critic.
Imagine now turning the volume,
With love,
The volume of the inner critic down slightly.
It's been given space to express and now we turn down,
Not off,
Just down from a shout to a normal voice.
Imagine sitting beside this voice,
This inner critic voice.
Not as a victim,
Not as someone that is being punished or judged by it,
But as the adult version of you,
The strong,
Stable,
Confident,
Calm,
Grounded version of you.
As you see yourself next to this part,
Let us breathe in to this space,
Breathing in for four,
Holding at the top and breathing out for four.
Letting that exhale continue if it needs to and coming back to your normal rhythm and feeling safe next to this critic,
Next to this voice.
Because we're here now to replace any shame loops we have when this critic is loud.
So as you see yourself sitting next to your critic,
Bring to mind a recent moment where this critic got loud,
Where this critic got overwhelming,
Where this critic was too much.
And instead of replaying the mistake over and over in this scene,
Instead here,
Choose to bring your compassion into it.
See yourself,
This strong,
Grounded,
Safe version,
Placing a loving and supportive hand on your shoulder in that moment.
And I ask you,
To this version of you that holds you,
What would a deeply loving voice say instead?
Maybe something along the lines of,
You are learning,
It's okay to be human,
It's okay to be alone,
You're allowed to grow.
One moment does not define who you are,
You are still worthy,
You are always loved.
Whatever feels best,
See yourself repeating this phrase,
This loop breaker,
To yourself.
Let it land in your body and feel this compassion,
Feel it land deeper.
And deeper.
As you feel it,
You can move your hand down to your belly,
Placing your hand as you feel this compassion,
As you feel this safety wash over you as the criticism and the shame is released,
Your compassion regulates.
Breathing in with me,
And breathing out.
You are so safe to be imperfect.
You are so safe to grow and be human.
Feel your inner critic start to step behind you,
Still present but not in control.
Feeling this compassion and worthiness now allowing you to be in the front seat,
Allowing you to not be flawless,
Not be perfect,
But to be compassionate.
This version of you is never dependent on performance and ticking the box.
This version of you has an unconditional essence.
So feeling yourself,
Feeling this bold,
Loving,
Worthy self,
Take a big powerful breath into your belly and slowly out through your mouth.
Good.
Good,
Doing one more bold and worthy versions of this,
Breathing into your belly,
Feeling that chest expand as you breathe out.
And I'll get you to sit here now.
Stepping back from the visualization and just listening to my words,
Noticing the peacefulness you feel,
The softness you feel.
Knowing in your heart that the critic may return again in your life,
Many new and similar ways,
But now,
You know the difference,
The difference between choosing shame and choosing guidance,
The difference between attack and growth,
The difference between fear and acting from loving truth.
You will always be able to stop,
Observe,
Become the loving observer and choose something different.
And with me now,
One final time today,
Breathing into your nose,
Into your belly and slowly out through your mouth,
Releasing,
You get to choose what is the loudest voice inside of you.
Today you've made that choice from worthiness,
From compassion and from love.
Bringing awareness into your body,
Wiggling your fingers and toes and slowly,
Easefully opening your eyes and coming back into your day in this new state of being.
