|
“You cannot transform what you do not embrace.”
~ Leslie Karen Sann ~
ICk
by Leslie Karen Sann
Have you ever ICked yourself? Self-ICking occurs
when that voice of the Inner Critic (something that lives in each of us)
gets the upper hand. The Inner Critic is that nagging, undermining,
critical voice that is determined to keep us in our comfort zone, small
and safe.
The Inner Critic — or IC — nicknamed ICk — is
the voice we all have in our heads that keeps up the running commentary on
what's not working and second-guesses all we do. And as a result, we feel
ICky.
It's the voice that jumps in and says, "Who do
you think YOU are going for YOUR dreams?" "Do you think you are
better than the rest of us?" And so on. Does this sound familiar?
You can’t make The ICk happy. No matter what you
do, your ICk will tell you you're wrong. Even if you did what it says you
should, it will tell you you didn’t do it right, or good enough, or
whatever.
I wonder how much creative energy, energy that could
be invested in your dreams, goals and desires, is undermined, wasted,
misused because of listening to this Inner Critic?
A key to liberating yourself from the ICk is to
realize YOU are NOT the voice. The voice is a conditioned part of the mind
programmed by the SHOULDers in your life. The SHOULDers are all the
grownups who were doing their best to keep you safe by telling what you
‘should’ do, or how you ‘should’ behave and thus making sure you
didn't stand out in the crowd — after all what would the neighbors
think? And so you were trained to follow the rules and be well-behaved.
Thus the Inner Critic attempts to make you
acceptable to others by criticizing and correcting before others can
criticize or even reject you. In reality the Inner Critic has a positive
intent of sparing you pain, shame and embarrassment. It wants you to
succeed, to be liked and accepted by other people.
Since the Inner Critic comes from our survival
brain, it works with what is familiar. The unknown is perceived as
dangerous. Any original thought or creative idea will look scary to the
ICk. That's why anytime we face stepping outside our zone of what is
familiar we tend to get scared and anxious. "Oh no" - the ICk
cries - "something new - will I be able to control what happens??!!
Maybe not, better stay put."
To be a person who lives by design rather than by
default is to be a person who has mastered the relationship with this
Inner Critic. If we let the ICk run the show, we'll never take action
towards manifesting what we really want.
What to do:
- You cannot transform what you do not embrace.
Learn to recognize your ICk's voice. Be aware it is there.
- Remind yourself You are not that voice.
- Also, realize the voice has a positive intent. In
a distorted way it is trying to look out for you. See if you can find
the gift in the message. Transform it into an ally.
Unconditional
by Jennifer Welwood
“each condition I flee from
pursues me
each condition I welcome
transforms me
and becomes itself transformed
into its radiant jewel-like essence"
QUICK LINKS:
COPYRIGHT/CONTACT INFO/REPRINT PERMISSION
Copyright 2010 by Leslie Karen Sann, Living by Design
Visit this link for contact information:
leslie@living-bydesign.com
Reprint permission granted in part or whole when the following credit appears in full:
Copyright 2010 by Leslie Karen Sann,
Living by Design. All rights reserved.
Web site. http://www.living-bydesign.com
|
