Are You Your Own Worst Critic?
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I think we can all agree that critics suck. Nobody likes criticism. But what happens when your worst critic is you? You. The one person you can never get away from. Because as the saying goes, wherever you go there you are. And it’s common knowledge that we are all our own worst critic (unless you’re a narcissist). That can add up to a devastating downward spiral for many artists.
How do you determine if you are your own worst critic?
Ask yourself these questions:
Do you hold back from posting your work on social media or on other platforms? If so, your inner critic could be seeding your mind with self-doubt, telling you that your work isn’t good enough. If this is the case, I encourage you to take a look at what other people are posting. There are posts from literally all skill levels. There’s no reason why you shouldn’t add yours to the mix.
And are you the only one cutting your work to shreds when everyone else is giving praises? That alone speaks volumes and should tell you something.
Self-doubt is not unusual.
I would bet that most of us deal with some amount of apprehension regularly when it comes to making our work public. That’s fine and it’s normal. But for it to overwhelm you and prevent you from putting yourself out there is where the problem lies. It could hold you back from claiming your spot in the art world. Humble though your spot may be, the world needs your creativity.
I will list another saying, this one by the late Dr. Wayne Dyer, who said, “Don’t die with your music still in you.” Or in our case, with our art still in us.
Art is a very special form of expression. Most people don’t explore it simply because they feel they can’t or don’t have the skill. The truth is, skill isn’t necessary for expression. But you at least have the inclination to do so. This is where most get stuck because they listen to their inner critic.
One of the most challenging things to do is silencing your own worst critic…YOU.
Your inner critic has a name…ego. Part of the ego’s job is to protect you from embarrassing yourself. It has good…
