Tried yelling at your inner critic to get her to stop yelling at you?
Tired of her restless pacing in your mind, of feeling like she lives to pounce on your every *misstep*?
Write a positively presidential letter to your inner critic.
“The best way to rid yourself of an enemy, is to befriend him.” (Abraham Lincoln)
I’ve had the pleasure of corresponding with mine for quite some time now.
But funny, ever since I started communicating with her like this, I haven’t heard that much from her…
Dear MeanSwella:
I’m so glad to have someone like you on my side. You always shows up to help me get exactly what I told you I want.
Thank you for taking your marching orders so seriously.
I told you that in order to be happy, I have to lose weight, and I can’t remember a time when you haven’t been right there to remind me of that when I think about eating when I’m not hungry.
‘”You don’t want that! Don’t eat that! Remember, nothing tastes as good as thin feels!’
Then, because you care so much, when I go from thinking about eating when I’m not hungry to actually doing it, you get louder and louder out of your concern for me, and in your rush to my rescue.
(Considering how much I want to feel better about myself, I appreciate how committed you are to me.)
The more I continue to eat when I’m not hungry, the more anxious you get, worrying that obviously I didn’t hear you or I would stop eating (after all, you think, I was the one who told you what is at stake and how much it means to me) and that you have to get my attention before it’s too late… your only focus is on the job that I assigned you.
“Oh my God STOP EATING WHAT ARE YOU DOING YOU ARE GOING TO RUIN EVERYTHING!!”
The only tool you have to help me is your voice, and because you have to go through me to get the work done you’re determined to do, you’ll say whatever it takes.
“WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU?! YOU’RE GOING TO BE SORRY!! AS USUAL!! YOU HAVE NO SELF-CONTROL!!”
I know and appreciate that you will never consider letting me down; I respect the intensity of your devotion to me.
And I admire how you’ve never wavered in your mission to escort me to my definition of happiness, even when you’ve felt me kicking against you and screaming … “you cannot talk to me like that!”
You’ll say whatever you think will work to keep from eating when I’m not hungry, because you take your direction from how I feel, not from how I wish I felt, nor from what I say I say I feel (in an effort to convince myself I don’t really feel bad about myself.)
You are privy to a feeling that not many others are, and that you know I’d rather not have… how I feel about being in my body.
You know how much and what it would mean to me to wake up comfortable in my own skin.
So thank you for all you do to help me get what I want, MeanSwella, for it meaning as much to you as it does to me, and for never letting anything get in the way of you holding me in your highest esteem.
I am flattered that I am the only one on your to do list.
With gratitude,
Karen
If you’d like, go ahead and write your friend “up” in the comments. 
(MeanSwella would love the company.)
I’m interested. What have you told your inner critic you want?
How is she performing in her job responsibilities as you have explained them to her?
If you know someone who would love the sound of silence, please pass this along via your favorite way to share. Much appreciated!
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