Your inner critic. The sh*tty committee. Fred. Or perhaps Tabitha. Do you have a name for the voice in your head? The one that judges and gets a bit bossy?

This is the first of 3 posts where I’ll share ways of managing that voice, the one that often tells us we’re not good enough or we’ve messed up or not been 100% perfect.

This first method is to check in with yourself.

Literally for a minute, 3 or 4 times a day. 

Set a reminder on your phone.

Stop what you’re doing.

Check in on your mood.

Where’s it at?

And ask yourself these 3 questions:

1. Am I stuck in my head?

2. Is the voice in my head in charge?

3. What’s the evidence for these thoughts?

Just like you refresh screens, use the check-in to reframe and refresh.

Take a step back from the busyness of your day.

Treat yourself as kindly as you would a friend.

Give yourself a break - perhaps literally.

Our days can be consumed with the doing, doing, doing.

Make time to step out of that and your mood will thank you for it.