Hello Dear One,
How are you? In your mind? Body? Heart?
I hope peaceful, inspired, excited, thrilled. However, if life feels overwhelming, hopeless or tricky I hope you get the support you need. Help can come in many forms: a therapy session, a massage, an hour to yourself. None of it makes you weak or indulgent. It’s a special thing to know our needs; a wonderful thing to act on them.
This month in my membership we’ve been working with the inner critic – which I come back to again and again. The realisation I was unbelievably cruel to myself was profound, but it also left me ashamed of all the terrible things I wrote as fact. It felt like such a lonely place to be.
Now, I have a different relationship with that voice. It still exists, and is ready to speak, especially when I’m low or about to do something new. But I understand it’s wired to protect me. It tells me old stories I notice, but choose not to believe. What this part of me (which is so concerned with avoiding humiliation and shame) needs is reassurance everything will be ok.
Of course, it can be frustrating to find yourself back in self-critical loops – but you’re not alone. For me, the work is noticing and encouraging myself to do the thing anyway, usually by telling myself I don’t have to be perfect.
At times I carry unrealistic standards around, which are draining and unhelpful. Negotiating with my critical voice also means letting these go – letting myself be wonderfully, messily human. Isn’t that where the joy is?
Thanks for being here and being you.
All love,
Jo
APRIL in ME: Calm
This April the ME membership delves into cultivating calm, through gentle, guided sequences, prompts and recorded rituals. Find out more at https://www.joannebell.org/me