Hello and welcome.
I like to start my meditations that are a little heavier by just giving a gentle trigger warning.
This meditation invites you to reflect on your inner critic.
For some,
That voice may bring up difficult memories or emotions.
If at any point this feels overwhelming,
Please pause,
Take a break,
Or return to grounding in your breath.
Go at your own pace and honor what feels safe for you.
I invite you to take a slow deep breath in and hold.
And exhale,
Let it go.
Throughout this practice,
I invite you to take intentional breaths in through your nose and out through your mouth.
Taking another deep breath in,
Holding,
And out,
Letting it go.
Feel your body here,
Support it.
Notice the rhythm of your breath,
Steady,
Constant.
A reminder that you are alive,
Safe,
And whole in this moment.
Now gently bring to mind the voice of your inner critic.
A part of you that doubts,
Questions,
Interrupts,
Compares.
We won't push it away.
We'll meet it with honesty and maybe even tenderness.
Taking a big deep breath,
Holding,
Exhale,
Let it all go.
Imagine a piece of paper resting in front of you,
A pen in your hand.
The words begin to form,
Not rushed,
But with intention.
You write,
Dear Inner Critic,
I hear you.
I know you try to keep me safe by pointing out every flaw,
Every risk,
Every possible mistake.
Pause and take a deep breath in,
Holding,
Exhale,
Letting it out.
You continue,
But your voice is heavy and sometimes it hurts.
It keeps me from moving forward.
It makes me forget my strength.
Taking another deep breath in,
Exhaling,
Letting it out.
You write,
So today I'm setting a boundary.
You may speak,
But you will not decide.
You may whisper,
But you will not guide my steps.
Feel the paper soften under your words.
Notice the weight lifting as you let truth flow.
You close the letter with,
I'm grateful for your protection,
But I choose to lead with courage now.
I am more than the voice that doubts me.
I choose courage over perfection.
My worth is not up for debate.
I am learning,
Growing,
And becoming stronger every day.
I release the need to be at war with myself.
I am allowed to take up space.
My voice of compassion speaks louder than my credit.
My voice of strength,
Signed,
The strongest part of me.
I invite you to take a slow breath in,
And hold,
And exhale out,
Letting it go.
Notice how it feels to give your inner critical voice but also to answer back.
Notice the power of your words.
You are not your critic.
You are the one holding the pen.
When you're ready,
You can open your eyes and be proud of yourself for showing up today.
This is also completely optional.
Feel free to journal.
What does my inner critic usually say to me?
And how can I respond differently now?
You can take about five or 10 minutes to answer that.
Or if this was enough,
That is fine as well.
Have a beautiful day.
