How to Quiet That Inner Critic

Hello everyone, I hope all is well with you. I’m back after a week of work, writing, and reading. I’ve also been running. It helps me manage my weight and my stress. During the winter months, I found a gym with an indoor track that allowed me to run inside, so I was able to maintain my running schedule. But enough about me, today I’d like to talk about dealing with our inner critic.

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We’ve all got one, that nagging voice inside our heads that whispers, “You’re not good enough.” Sometimes we can beat that voice into a bloody pulp, but other times that voice cripples us. Where did this voice come from? I have a theory. It’s the voice of your most negative parent.

I find this voice doesn’t always whisper. I can feel it ramping up my anxiety when I’m writing. It takes a lot of energy to still this voice in my head, but I’ve learned some techniques that help me, and I thought I’d share them with the rest of the creatives out there who’re trying to get your work out into the world.

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The first thing I do when I feel that old anxiety creeping through my body tensing my muscles and stealing my good mood is, I remind myself that I’m trying to break into a tough business. Writing and publishing is tough right now. It’s not a walk in the park. I’m trying to do something that’s extremely hard.

Then I make sure and manage my stress. I go for a walk, run, or hike. Physical activity is a great way to get those endorphins flowing, and those endorphins drown out that nagging voice in my head. I bet it will work for you, too.

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Another way I quiet that voice is I get together with other creatives. We all need the support of our creative family.  People who believe in us and cheer us on. When that inner critic gets too loud, I hang out with my fellow creatives, and it does wonders for my motivation and drive.

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Another way I quiet that voice is I take a break. Sometimes we’ve been working so hard on a project that we become over correctors, and you can’t tell if what you’ve written is gold or dribble. That’s when I take a break and put the story out of my head. Sometimes we just need to get away from it for a little while.

Sometimes I read when I take a break or watch a movie. Something that takes my mind off the story and allows me to relax. Other times, I’ll hike through the woods or walk along the beach. Whatever I feel I need at the time.

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So, there you have it. Some ways I squash that inner critic. How about you? How do you quiet that negative Nancy raging through your head? Leave a comment! I’d love to hear from you!

The Great Outdoors, It’s Good for You!

Hello everyone, I hope all is well with you. I’m back today after a week of work and writing. We had some warm days last week which I am grateful for, but I’m ready for more. I’m ready for summer. Those consistently hot days when all I want to do is read in the shade while listening to the waves rolling in and crashing on the shore.

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This summer, I plan to get out into nature more. I’m going to make a concerted effort to get to the lakeshore and see more sunsets and walk along the beach. I’m also planning on doing more hiking.

Getting outside is good for our mind and body. Hiking in the woods is a great way to relieve stress after a busy day at work. It’s good for our immune system, too. The trees release phytoncides. These compounds are anti-fungal microbes that defend the trees from fungus, bacteria, and even animals. By breathing them in they help our immune system as well by telling worn out cells it’s time to go. No wonder I always feel better after a hike through the woods.

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Walking by the water is also beneficial. Something about the calming sound of the waves against the shore seems to unravel the tension inside of me. Walking in the sand barefoot has two benefits. It’s a great source of exercise for your leg muscles, and it’s a form of earthing or grounding.

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Grounding is a way of transferring the earth’s electrons to our bodies. It’s accomplished by walking barefoot on the earth or by digging around in the soil. For example, planting a garden or flowers.  This transfer of energy is an anti-inflammatory and an antioxidant according to experts. Inflammation is a common denominator in many life-threatening diseases. Just think by grounding twenty minutes a day, you reduce your risk of heart disease and cancer.

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Let’s not forget the sun. We get vitamin D from the sun. This vitamin is essential for strong bones. It helps them absorb calcium which makes them stronger. Are you seeing a theme here?

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Do you remember when you were a kid, and you’d spend the whole day outside riding your bike and playing near the water? We were doing more for our health than we realized. I plan on spending more time outdoors this summer. I hope you can, too. What are some of the outdoor activities you enjoy? Leave a comment! I’d love to hear from you!

Save the Bees!

Hello everyone, I hope all is well with you. I’m back today after a week of working and writing. I’m making progress on my story, and I’m excited about it. But enough about that.

This week the weather was spectacular. I ran outside a couple of times and I’m definitely in the mood for summer. My tulips are coming up this year. They didn’t last year, I’m not sure why. I wasn’t expecting them this year, but low and behold there they are.

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Which brings me to my topic for today. We need to take special care of our bees and other pollinators. They are vital to the survival of trees and flowers on our planet. According to reports, the honeybee population has declined by 89% and is on the verge of extinction.

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There are a variety of factors contributing to this decline, climate change, pesticides, declining habitat, and disease.  The honeybee is a critical link to our agriculture. They are the pollinators that keep our flowers growing as well as a variety of food staples we humans eat. I find it ironic that such a tiny insect has such an impact on our earth.

We humans have to wake up and save the bees. If we don’t, and they do go extinct, our supply of fruit and vegetables will be substantially reduced. According to Einstein, we could survive maybe four years without bees. That is a scary thought.

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So, what can we do to save them? Stop using pesticides. Plant flowers for food for them. The bottom line is we need bees to maintain the quality of life we’ve all enjoyed. Now it’s time to step up to the plate and make sure we can sustain it. We need to do this not just for ourselves but for future generations too.

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We need to do something now. Don’t you agree?

Thanks for stopping by and reading my post. How about you? Do you have any ideas on how to save the bees? Leave a comment! I’d love to hear from you!

Movie Review: The Whale

Hello everyone, I hope all is well with you. I’m back today after a week of work and writing and chilly weather. We had another school shooting in Tennessee, but I didn’t want to write about that today because it upset me, and I’d just be repeating myself anyway. I wanted to write about something a little more thought provoking. It was wet and rainy on Friday the 31^st so I hunkered down and watched another great movie.

I watched the movie “Whale.” I wanted to see why Brendan Fraser received the Oscar for that movie, and after watching it, he definitely deserved it. It’s the heartbreaking story of an obese man. We get to see why he’s obese. Why he let himself get that way.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nWiQodhMvz4

Click the link above to watch the trailer.

It’s a story about heartbreak, and it’s a good lesson in giving grace to people. We don’t know their stories. In the movie, Charlie (the main character) falls in love with another man. He leaves his wife and daughter for this man. His name is Alan.

There’s a bitter custody battle over the daughter that he loses. As a consequence, he hasn’t seen his daughter in nine years. He regrets leaving her and would like to reconnect. He offers her all the money in his bank account if she’ll spend time with him. She wants the money, so she agrees.

We learn that Alan committed suicide and Charlie has never gotten over that loss. Alan’s father was a religious man who could not accept his homosexual son. So, he kicked Alan out of the church and the family. Alan also has guilt over being gay and grappled with this because he felt it was against his religion. The only way he could deal with it was to jump off a bridge.

There are many messages in this movie, but the biggest one is acceptance. If parents could accept their children as they are we’d have less suicides. If society could learn to accept differences there’d be less strife in the world.

This was an amazing movie, and it moved me to tears. My oldest happened to enter the room when I was watching it, and he sat down and watched it with me. That made me happy. I wanted him to see that everyone has a story, and everyone deserves grace even if we’re disgusted by them.

Thanks for reading my post. I encourage you to see this movie. It was very well done, and Brendan Fraser did an excellent job. It opens your eyes to the bigger picture. How about you, have you seen a movie recently that affected you this way? Leave a comment! I’d love to hear from you!