Do you know that voice? You know the one telling you that you are not qualified enough, not intelligent enough, not beautiful enough…
No matter what it is, this voice constantly tries to convince you “you are not enough”. I am sure you know this voice, and it’s no stranger to me either. I think I have not yet met a woman who doesn’t know this voice. In reality, men are not exempt from this voice either, but unfortunately, we women usually listen to it more.
For some, this inner critic appears particularly in the professional environment, while others don’t feel good enough in their private life, as a wife or mother. Others are influenced by this voice when it comes to their appearance, body image, or the aging process. And some hear the voice of self-doubt, especially in creative projects when it comes to painting, writing, or other creative ideas that want to see the light of day.
No matter what that voice is loudest about, you have probably already noticed that it keeps us small. It prevents us from realizing our dreams and from growing into what we are capable of. It also prevents us from living happy and fulfilling lives.
However, if we wait for this voice of self-doubt to go away, then unfortunately we wait in vain. Because the inner critic is the expression of a safety instinct that we all have in us. This instinct wants to protect us from risks and tries to keep us in our safe comfort zone. It wants to prevent failure, criticism, and other disappointments. The more we expose ourselves to potential injury, the bigger this voice will become. However, if we give in to it, we will never live fulfilling lives that express our talents and live up to our calling.
But when we realize that the inner critic’s words are incorrect and have only one purpose: to protect us from emotional risks. Then we realize that we must not follow this voice of self-doubt. Then we can just say, lovingly, “Hello, my dear voice of self-doubt, there you are again. I know you want to protect me from all possible risks, but you are not the voice of the truth. I won’t listen to you anymore because I know that growth is only possible outside of my comfort zone. ”
