Not everyone has an inner voice, but we all have an inner critic. Through evolution, parental guidance and cultural scripts, we have all been trained how to act, think and perform in a way that benefits others. As adults this leads to a battle between our inner critic and our inner nurturer. For many of us, the critic is winning. 

On today's episode of the Forms and Focus Podcast (EPISODE #024), we are discussing focus and Inner Narrative. And what you can do TODAY to put your inner critic in its place, confide in your inner nurturer, and accomplish your dreams. Let’s dig in…

What does science say about our inner narrative? 

• This may be shocking, but not everyone has an inner voice. 
• Researcher Mark Scott of the University of British Columbia found evidence that a brain signal called corollary discharge plays an important role in our experiences of internal speech. 
• Example: Corollary discharge is a kind of predictive signal generated by the brain that helps to explain, for example, why other people can tickle us but we can’t tickle ourselves. The signal predicts our own movements and effectively cancels out the tickle sensation. 
• He continues… “We spend a lot of time speaking and that can swamp our auditory system, making it difficult for us to hear other sounds when we are speaking, by attenuating the impact our own voice has on our hearing — using the ‘corollary discharge’ prediction — our hearing can remain sensitive to other sounds.”

The Inner Critic and The Inner Nurturer

• You also have your inner nurture, but your Inner Critic and Inner Nurturer uses two different parts of the brain!!
• Beth Kurland in “How to Build Your Inner Nurturer” reviews a study that found when people experience self-criticism, the parts of the brain associated with increased monitoring of errors, punishment, and behavioral inhibition are activated. When people experience self-reassurance, the brain regions involved in expressing compassion toward others become active.
• She goes on to say, “Despite many people thinking that being too easy on themselves will lead to them straying from their goals, extensive research shows that it is self-compassion, not self-criticism, that is the best motivator.”
• Nathan Chandler in “Inner Speech Speaks Volumes About the Brain.” 
• “It does appear that biologically we all hear negativity louder than the positives. This is probably an adaption for survival. Our survival as a species was dependent on us hearing, “Watch out, there’s a snake”, while hearing “You are doing that well” was not so urgent.”

How do we stand up to our inner critic?

• Rick Hanson, “How to stand up to your inner critic.” 
• First, try to observe how self-criticism operates inside you. 
• Be aware of anger at yourself that seems out of proportion to what happened. Listen to the tone in which you talk to yourself. 
• Consider how self-critical attitudes developed inside you, perhaps when you were younger. 
• When the inner critic starts pounding away, turn to your inner nurturer as a refuge and an ally.
• Imagine a “caring committee” inside yourself with different characters who represent various kinds of support and wisdom.
• As you go through your days, register when others see decency, capability, effort, and caring in you.

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