Bite-Sized Meditation: Inner Critic

If you’re feeling worn down by your inner critic, this short three-minute meditation invites you to step back and listen without believing. By pausing, you create space for self-kindness and perspective. Bite-sized meditations are perfect for finding a moment of calm in the midst of life’s uncertainties.

Transcript

Let's talk about that voice in your head.

The one that always has something to say.

That whispers,

You're not doing enough,

Or that wasn't good enough.

Yeah,

We all have one.

That inner critic means well,

Maybe,

But it ends up making us feel small.

And it's so easy to mistake that voice for truth.

But today,

Let's try something different.

Let's practice listening without believing.

Let's start by taking a slow breath in,

And a gentle exhale.

Can you notice what the voice is saying right now?

You don't have to agree with it.

You don't have to argue with it,

Just notice.

And then,

Take another breath.

Feel your feet on the ground,

Or the cushion that you're sitting on.

Feel the air move in your lungs.

You are more than any thought,

More than any story that that voice repeats.

You're the awareness behind it all,

The calm witness.

So,

Whenever that inner critic gets loud,

Just try this,

Pause,

Breathe,

And say to yourself,

I hear you,

But I don't have to believe you.

As Tara Brach reminds us,

The critical voice in our head is not the voice of truth,

It's the voice of fear.

So,

See if you can let that be a gentle reminder as you move through your day,

That although the voice is probably always going to be there,

You have the choice whether to listen to it or not.

You can choose to pause,

To breathe,

And to remember that you are already enough.

Thank you so much for joining me.