Why You Don’t Need to Get Rid of That Critical Voice – and how to handle it

We all experience some self-doubt every now and then.
We feel it in our body and we have this voice that is whispering critical thoughts.
Once we gain awareness of this voice, often we try to lose it.

It might have some value to offer you.

Here’s why:

Most everything has a positive intention. A beautiful lesson, wisdom to be gained or growth. When you look close enough and you are open to it, you will find the beauty in even the toughest, darkest places. The same is true for this critical voice. What could it’s positive intention be for you?

Often, it’s about guidance and protection. The voice is just an other part of you trying to protect you. From feeling hurt, experiencing failure, rejection. It has a limited view though and doesn’t necessarily see to potential of growth in a new experience. This part doesn’t see that there is no failure, only feedback. It just wants to keep the ego in one piece. It wants to protect you and keep you safe and secure. Isn’t that a wonderful mechanism?

It doesn’t always give the effect you’d wish, but it means no harm. It’s function is to protect. It’s up to us to teach this part of ourself that we are safe. That we are ok and we can move forward, even when we are scared. That the protection isn’t always necessary.

So we do not need to get rid of this voice. We want to honor this loving intention. It is, however, good to see it in perspective. This voice is not telling you the whole truth, only the part it can see. Usually based on previous experiences. Since the voice itself is only a part of you, it couldn’t possibly see the whole. But you can. So take the information it is offering into consideration and combine it with what your heart and your dreams and your energy and your vision is telling you.

Everything is either Love or a call for Love

One thing that we can change about this voice, is the tone. It usually isn’t the content that’s intrusive. It is the way it is being heard. Pretty much anything can be said to you in a nice tone of voice without you freaking out, right? Oh, the difference the tone makes!

So when you hear you protective inner voice, next time thank it for it’s protection and give yourself the message in a different tone of voice. Choose any tone that you like. A soft sweet whisper, a Micky Mouse tone to release all tention on the message, a businessy, neutral voice or a warm, supporting one. You could even use the voice of someone you know, a mentor, a celebrity. George Clooney perhaps? I bet you will feel completely different when you hear him whispering!

So:
1. See the positive intention 
2. Be grateful for this intention
3. Put it in perspective: see the whole
4. Change the tone of voice
5. Add some Love

Point 5: add some Love. By seeing the positive intention, putting it in perspective and changing the tone of voice, you are already lovingly handeling the critical voice. The last step to deal with this voice is to ask yourself: what would Love do? And then follow that voice taking in the feedback given by the protective voice into when you feel it adds something of value.

I hope this serves you.
Take what does and leave the rest.

Love, Susanne