Feeling Accepted: Working With The Inner Critic #4

This teaching and meditation is part four of a series to help you work with your inner critic. It addresses one of the three core identities of the inner critic: feeling unacceptable or unlikeable. In this practice, you will draw mindful awareness to this critic and explore what it would be like to counter this critical voice with a more compassionate one.

Transcript

Welcome back.

We're now on day four of dealing with the inner critic.

I'm Sean Fargo.

The last two exercises,

We've looked at the core identities of competency and worthiness.

And the inner critic tends to feel that we're not competent or worthy.

And today I'd like to explore the core identity of feeling accepted or feeling liked.

So the inner critic tends to say,

Who would like me?

Or who would accept me?

Or I'm not likable.

Who would like me?

Maybe people say they like me.

Maybe they hang out with me.

Maybe they pretend to laugh at my jokes,

But deep down,

No one actually likes who I actually am.

So it can be really helpful to bring mindfulness to the different kinds of situations that the inner critic arises in.

Maybe the inner critic tends to surface socially when you're around your friends.

Maybe it's at work with your colleagues.

Maybe it's with family.

So it's really helpful to pay attention to when the inner critic tends to harshly criticize yourself and how acceptable or likable you are.

So I'd like to invite you to close your eyes or look downward as we do a brief mindfulness meditation.

So we bring our feet to the floor,

Sensing into gravity as we feel our weight on the chair or the ground.

And notice whether you feel acceptable or likable as a person.

What does it feel like in the body to say the words,

I am likable?

Are you able to say to yourself,

I accept myself for who I am?

Or there are plenty of people who genuinely like me?

Like me?

What does the inner critic say about how likable I am?

What does that feel like in the body?

What are the sensations in the body as your inner critic tends to surface?

And can you acknowledge that,

Yes,

I am an acceptable person.

I accept myself and I am a likable person.

I like who I really am.

So I'm bringing this awareness throughout the day and throughout the week.

Thank you for joining me today.

I look forward to being with you again tomorrow for our next session on day five of dealing with the inner critic.

Reviews

My inner critic really reared its ugly head during this practice. I have a lot of work to do if I'm going to temper it down. Thank you!