Me: Thanks for coming. For a second I thought you might not show up.
Inner Critic: Yeah, like I would miss this. I have to say I am a little disappointed with the venue. What a dump!
Me: What are you talking about? We’re in the kitchen. My kitchen, by extension your kitchen.
Inner Critic: No duh! You couldn’t come up with something better?
Me: (straining not to raise voice) I have a feeling that you wouldn’t be satisfied with any place I could have chosen and besides if I picked a public place you would have told me that I look like an idiot talking to myself.
Inner Critic: Well…you don’t look any better talking to yourself here, you’re just lucky no one can see you. But I believe that if a tree falls in the forest it still makes a noise even if no one is there to hear it.
Me: Look, I don’t want to fight or argue or whatever you want to call it. I know that we don’t get along very well…
Inner Critic: I suppose you think that’s my fault. All I’m trying to do is look out for you and you fight me every step of the way.
Me: We are both smart and I thought if we just put it all out in the open that we could come to some sort of truce, learn how to respect each other.
Inner Critic: Respect? I’m listening.
Me: I wanted to ask you what your purpose is…
Inner Critic: My purpose?
Me: Yes, why do you always have something negative to say about what I’m doing, or thinking?
Inner Critic: Negative?! I’m not being negative. See?! You just don’t get it. You are always so defensive. I’m just looking out for you. Believe it or not, I love you and I just don’t want you to get hurt.
Me: Wow, I so did not get that. I just feel like you put me down all the time and it’s not helpful.
Inner Critic: I’m not trying to put you down, I’m trying to protect you.
Me: What if we work together? If I am in danger then please speak up, but if it is not something life threatening or something that is truly bad for me, let me take a chance. Let me wear colors that don’t match, but still somehow work together. Let me speak up in a room when I have something to say without fearing that you will criticize me. Can you do that?
Inner Critic: You might have to remind me sometimes, but yeah for you I can do that.
Have you had a conversation with you inner critic yet?
About UnknownMami
Great post! Especially the last few lines “If I am in danger then please speak up, but if it is not something life threatening or something that is truly bad for me, let me take a chance. Let me wear colors that don’t match, but still somehow work together. Let me speak up in a room when I have something to say without fearing that you will criticize me.”
I think your inner critic and my inner critic should grab lunch, they have a lot in common.
Twitter Name: laliquin
I’d rather just grab lunch with you and ditch our inner critics.
Twitter Name: Unknown Mami
I’d love to join you two on that but maybe I won’t. Every time I try to have lunch with cool people without my inner critic I find myself standing before the judge at 6am the next day…
Twitter Name: classicnycgirl
Thank you for this post! I just read to my inner critic :) I think we are going to take your advise about her only coming out when I am in great danger. Love,love,love it :)
Very clever Mami. I learned both from you and your inner critique.
Hello Aiming Low.
I learn from you all the time.
Twitter Name: Unknown Mami
fun post!
I like it a lot. Inner critic can be really dangerous, so I try to avoid him sometimes and just enjoy the way :)
Aww, such a great post. I have been working on my own inner critic! Hope she will work with me as well. :)
You should take your inner critic on a run with you. She’ll be too wiped out to misbehave afterwards.
Twitter Name: Unknown Mami
Good for you! I have quite a bully for an inner critic. Maybe I should sit her down for a talk. Or maybe you could…
:-)
Traci
Twitter Name: tracisstar
Your inner critic sounds like my mother! Are you in there, Mami?
Your mother sounds like my mother.
Twitter Name: Unknown Mami
Very thought-provoking post, Unknown Mami! I am very prone to self-talk, especially after my Mami passed on last year.
Hmm… I just gave my Inner Critic a big hug :-) She’s been rather nice lately.
Twitter Name: vidyasury
Great post!! your writing is truly vivid!! Love it!!
Your inner critic must be related to mine?? sounds too familiar!
Twitter Name: erinmargolin