Sara Deutsch

It distracts us by saying, “That’s stupid”, “What’s the point?!”, Why bother?” “You can’t do that!” “What would people think!”, “That’s weird,” “You can’t draw” (or write, paint or sing). Fear is natural when we delve into the infinite unknown, where the illusions of good and bad, order and control dissolve.

Accept the Critic as just one of your many inner voices, not the boss. If you get stuck, talk to your critic and write down your conversation. Thank it for sharing.

Draw your Critic, let it be part of your meditation, part of your art. Don’t let it stop you! Speed is one way to reduce the stifling influence of the Critic. Write, draw, tone, express yourself without hesitation, as fast as you can. One trick is to give yourself permission to start badly. Recognize the feeling underlying your critical inner voice.

Often it is fear of losing control, or of not being good enough. Dare to feel your feelings all the way. Accept them just as they are and express them through writing, painting, drawing, toning...any creative modality you choose. Trace the origin of your inner critic, without judgment, to a parent, relative, teacher or friend.

From THE FIVE-MINUTE MUSE by Sara Deutsch