CAREER

How to Manage Your Inner Critic

NYWICI was excited to host Lisa McCarthy, Founder and CEO of FastForward Group, at the Cocktails & Conversations event “Learning How to Manage Your Inner Critic” on June 27, 2017, at Time Inc.

Lisa calls that inner nagging voice that is criticizing yourself relentlessly your “Inner Critic”. And she wants to help you tame it. She has declared that women don’t put themselves first and must do so, and she promised that we would leave her panel with actionable items. Lisa did not disappoint.

Lisa asserted, “It’s up to you to fuel your confidence by acknowledging your own strength and power.” The same voices that offer negativity can also offer positive self-talk.

According to Lisa, your Inner Critic is:

• ongoing commentary about everything
• automatic
• often negative
• not true (point of view vs. fact)

In order to muzzle our Inner Critic, Lisa says, “We have to slay the beast.” Participants were encouraged to write down their experience and share it with a partner: Some found this exercise to be “eye-opening”, “agonizing” and “comparing of ourselves”. In the end, NYWICI members and guests learned that we all share the similar experience: We are critical of how we live our lives — and we beat ourselves up when we compare ourselves to the “ideal person”.

Lisa ended the evening by telling the NYWICI community how to manage their Inner Critic. These takeaways included:

• share it with someone out loud
• get into action and step out of your comfort zone
• simply notice it: Be an observer and watch your critical thoughts or commentary
• focus on contributing vs. what people think of you
• forgive yourself

In addition, write a journal, where you reflect on yourself: In the morning, jot down three things you’re grateful for. And in the evening, recollect three things you’re proud of or that you did well that day.

— Erica Martell