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Posts Tagged ‘inner critic’

When surrender is the only option

Feb 22nd, 2009
by ianpeatey.
8 comments

I’ve been sitting here all afternoon waiting for some inspiration about what to write and nothing’s happening.

I’ve been cruising some of my favourite sites hoping for a flash of creativity and it seems I’m not the only one with writer’s block.

That was unkind and untrue. It’s my mean streak expressing jealousy about how come you all have great things to write about and I’m stuck here with an empty head? I’ve got more than 20 posts under construction (is that really an appropriate term for writing?) but none of them fit the mood of the evening and there’s no new ideas popping up. They rarely materialise just when I want them. My best ideas tend to catch me in the most unexpected and inconvenient moments such as shopping or in the shower. Anywhere where pen, paper and a free hand to make a note are just not accessible.

My inner critic’s very busy as usual. All kinds of crappy stuff about promises to myself of a post every 3 days and letting myself down (are you growing to love him as much as I do?). Lot’s of ‘have to’ and ’should’ in my head. He’s jumping up and down and screaming in my head not to publish this sorry little imposter of a post.

The best I can do for today is surrender to the lack of any idea, and trust that something’s going to come up.

The shops are all shut by now so perhaps I’ll go take a shower.

Sometimes surrender really is the only option.

PS I agree with Inner Critic but I’m going to press ‘publish’ anyway and promise to come up with something better next time.

PPS Are there times when you just have to admit defeat and surrender?

PPPS Another apology – this time for that very weak question above that’s clearly an attempt to engage some kind of conversation out of this sorry state. Just ignore it and come back in a few days and everything will be well again.

Have you ever been lazy?

Feb 16th, 2009
by ianpeatey.
7 comments

I just took a break from reading and writing for a few minutes, made myself a cup of tea, put my feet up, played with the dogs. Those rare few moments of silence were broken by the especially unhelpful voice of my inner critic. A familiar voice to many of us, I suppose?

‘You are so lazy!’

From those four words there are several possible paths to take. I could write about the challenge of ‘being’ versus ‘doing’. Or I could explore why the inner critic always seems to address me in the second person. I’ll leave exploring those for a later day when I’ve got more energy for a longer article. When I’m not feeling so lazy.

Instead I’d like to share a wonderfully simple and effective method for taking the sting out of any judgement, whether from my inner critic or from the mouth of a fellow human being.

Try this.

Add the word ‘sometimes‘.

See how easy it is?

My inner critic now says ‘You are sometimes so lazy’. Now the statement is pefectly true as I am lazy sometimes, and sometimes I’m not!

Try it with criticism you hear from someone else.

“Ian, you are really selfish and inconsiderate”

Well, yes! Sometimes I am …. and sometimes I’m generous and sensitive to others.

“Ian, you write short, throw-away posts”

Sometimes I do.