Why write so much about the inner critic, as I have done here so often over the past three years?
- Because we all have one, whether we’ve caught onto it or not
- Because so many of us think we’re the only ones
- Because it’s a source of so much suffering for each of us – the world as brought to us by the critic is riddled with harshness, judgement, and fear
- Because when we react to the self-wounding of our own critics we very often cause suffering for others
- Because the critic has each of us living in a very small space, a tightly-bound world in which actions that would help us, and help those around us, are denied to us
- Because the critic is more interested in maintaining our safety than in our creativity, compassion and contribution
- Because the troubles of the world desperately need us – and every ounce of creativity, compassion and contribution we can muster
- And because there is no time to waste
Photography by Justin Wise