Inner Deception

The inner critic is a deceiver. It convinces you that you are not doing something when, in reality, you already are.

For example, I work 40–50 hours a week as a school leader, and then on the side I work on my creative life. I write novels, create AI music, generate art, and work on my website and podcast. Doing both can get exhausting.

Sometimes I make big plans for creativity, but then I realize I need rest. That’s when the inner critic shows up and says, You’re giving up. You’re being lazy.

But that’s not true.

What it hides from me is that I already have a full-time job. It hides the fact that I am already building a creative life. It hides the reality that it is the end of the school year and I am tired.

Instead, it rewrites the story and makes me think that slowing down means I am failing.

So maybe the answer is not to let the inner critic shame us. Maybe the answer is to tell it the truth.

The truth is: I am exhausted.
The truth is: Rest is not quitting.
The truth is: Pausing is not abandoning.
The truth is: I am still committed.

Instead I decided to tell myself the truth, so far this year my creative life has been thriving. 130 blog posts, a new coloring book on amazon, and a new redbubble store.

Don’t allow your inner critic to deceive you. Tell it the truth.

Question: What truth has your inner critic been hiding from you lately?