A letter from the past

To my dearest Inner Critic For the longest time you have held me safe - too safe - playing small, hiding in the shadows, doing just enough to get by but too afraid to step up and really play into my full potential. You have told me to stay small because I'm not good enough, to stay quiet because when I speak up I am misunderstood and its embarressing, to stay compliant toothers wishes because I'm unlikable when I show up with a strong will. To be nice. To not be too much. You've told me I'm getting it wrong, that I'm boring, that everyone must be bored with me, that I'm useless at running workshops, that I am unprofessional, that people tolerate me to be polite. The things you have said to me.... the way I doubt myself as a result. I know you say these things because you want us to be safe, because you are scared we will fail, because you have seen the consequences of me getting it wrong, because you have experienced people walking away from me and know how hard that was for me. I know you want me to stay out of emotional harm. I know you try to protect me by keeping me scared of stepping up. I see your intentions and I understnad they are good - but the way you go about it is hurting me. It's stopping me from thriving and being so much more. It's stopping me from realsing my full potential and from being impactful and valuable to myself and to others. I want more, I know I can be more, and your aversion to risk is no longer serving me. So I want to say thank you, I see you and I appreciate you. But no thank you. I'm not banishing you. I'm not fighting with you. I'm not angry with you. ore than anything I feel compassionate for you, for what it must be like for you as the embodient of a little scared girl, to be spending so much time having to try and protect me. I'm an adult now. I no longer need protection - certainly not of this kind. It's time for me to step out into the light and take on the world. I've got this. Thank you. It's time for you to take some rest my dear Inner Critic. Love Me