The Inner Critic

The Inner Critic

Self-talk can be used as an effective form of self-motivation and self-regulation, but, when dominated by the voice of the inner critic, its effect is anything but helpful.  It tends to keep us feeling defeated, alienated, and exhausted.  Moreover, the inner critic distorts our view of self so that we begin to define ourselves more by our perpetual insufficiencies rather than the absolute and unchanging sufficiency of God’s love for us.  So what can be done to put this inner critic in its rightful place and better align our self-talk with the realities of God’s love for us? Our team shares their own personal insights and practices on this all-too-familiar challenge.

Listen Carefully

Listen Carefully

Listening is an exercise in love and humility.  It requires us to recognize the sacred image of God that even the most infuriating among our so-called enemies possesses as a fact of his or her existence.  It requires us likewise to remember our own human fallibility and finitude, that our knowledge and understanding are incomplete unto themselves.  By listening, we are putting two essential beliefs into practice: 1) the other person matters and therefore they matter to me and 2) the other person might just have something important that I need to hear through them.

Routines

Routines

Routines can be extremely beneficial. They allow us to take care of tasks and to do’s in a planned and thoughtful manner. They can create time for physical wellbeing such as exercise or preparing a meal. They can even alleviate challenging mental health symptoms over time. 

Many of us know the benefit of routines, yet we can often feel stuck in identifying how to create new ones that will be helpful and healthy. Here are some ideas to help you think through ways you can begin to build routines in your life.

When Sleep Won't Come

When Sleep Won't Come

Have you had those nights when sleep is evasive? When you shift in bed and adjust your pillow, throwing off or adding on layers of cover? Apart from following basic sleep hygiene practices, it can sometimes feel like there is little to be done when our minds keep wandering once the lights go out. While there are numerous ways to help increase the ability to sleep, I want to introduce you to one method that is a favorite of mine.

Too Many Bath Mats

Too Many Bath Mats

"Analysis paralysis" results from spending too much time analyzing all of the possible choices we are faced with which then leads us to feeling stuck, often taking a longer time to make a decision than needed. Because we are faced with so many choices, we also begin to think that there must be a "perfect" choice to make, and so when we experience disappointment with our decision we assume we chose incorrectly. In contrast, studies show us that when we have less choices to pick from we often feel more satisfied in the final choice we make. So how can you apply this in your daily life?

Spotting Trends through Journaling

Spotting Trends through Journaling

Wisdom is the skill to interpret God’s hand in the midst of life’s struggle and mundane moments.  And the ability to truly understand why things happen and what they mean can be hidden and hard to see things in perspective in the moment. Journaling can serve as a practice that helps us to recognize trends and gain a clearer sense of significance, sometimes where we least expect it.

 

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