Clare Josa | Author And Keynote Speaker
UK's Foremost Imposter Syndrome Expert, International Keynote Speaker & 8x Author
PDF cheat sheet for each technique - handy quick-reference guides
Downloadable MP3 for each technique, so you can keep them on your phone
Downloadable PDF version of the book, to take with you when you need it
VIP access to Clare's live online Masterclasses on meditation & mindfulness
Plus free access to the Readers' Club. All of this is yours for just £20.
Changing the world is an 'inside job' and it starts as soon as you wake up. Give yourself a head start and Start Your Day Right!
Specially-created meditation MP3
& bonus PDF workbook
from Clare Josa: a professional Meditation
Teacher & entrepreneur of 15 years
This ten minute guided meditation MP3, created for you by Clare Josa - a professional Meditation Teacher and Entrepreneur of 15 years - guides you through all you need to know to Start Your Day Right each morning. Sit back and enjoy!
Craving a way to calm your Monkey Mind after a super-busy and stressful day?
Your bonus workbook is designed to help you to let go, relax and fall asleep with a happy heart.
Once you're lined up with your 'Self' each morning, you'll find your mind is calmer and it's much easier to sense the quiet messages from your intuition, guiding your inspired actions. Doing this meditation daily is your fast-track.
Get answers to your questions and share the journey in our friendly Facebook group: Dancing In Your Soul-Shoes
First thing in the morning is the most potent part of your day, when it comes to setting intentions and 'choosing' the core theme for how you want to experience your day. Most of us leave this to chance, with the proverbial stubbed-toe threatening to derail the rest of our waking hours.
But it doesn't have to be that way.
As little as ten minutes of this unique guided meditation can transform your day, helping you to jump out of bed feeling confident, energised, aligned and raring to go. AND, over time, it can help you to connect with your inner wisdom, synchronicities and to feel excited about taking the inspired actions that will create the breakthroughs you have been dreaming of.
With the Start Your Day Right! toolkit, Clare Josa, a professional Meditation Teacher, NLP Trainer and Entrepreneur of 15 years, makes it super-easy for you to get in flow and love the day you live. It helps to calm your mind, cut your stress levels, help you concentrate more, get more done and feel happier.
And there's even a bonus PDF workbook to help you let go of stress and worry at the end of a busy day, to help you to get a better night's sleep.
When you think what all of that might be worth to you and your business, for even just one day, then the Start Your Day Right! toolkit ought to be a hefty investment.
But Clare wants to make this a no-brainer for you, so she can help you for the next stage of your journey and you can experience what it might be like to work with her more deeply.
Your no-brainer price for this toolkit is just £7. That's the price of a glass of wine in a pub, or a posh latte and a cake. Or you could spend that £7 on a toolkit that could change your life - and your business - forever. Your call.
Are you in?
Download your meditation MP3 and PDF workbook in the next few minutes.
I want you to LOVE your Start Your Day Right! Toolkit.
If you don't, that's cool. I won't be offended. Just let a member of my team know (reply to your welcome email) within 28 days and we'll give you a full refund.
All that I ask is that you give it a go - listen to the meditation each morning for a week or so. Play with the questions in the workbook. This isn't a 'brown banana' guarantee - after all, you wouldn't take a banana back to the supermarket, just because you forgot to eat it and it went brown, would you?
The same goes for this guarantee. Dive in and make the most of your toolkit and, if your heart tells you it isn't working for you, I'll give you your investment back. Can't make it much fairer than that, can I?
x Clare
Download your meditation MP3 and PDF workbook in the next few minutes.
Clare Josa has been teaching meditation since 2008 and is formally qualified to teach meditation and mindfulness from beginner to advanced level.
As the Author of the 28 Day Meditation Challengeand 52 Mindful Moments, the leader of workshops and the creator of a range of online 'how to meditate' courses, she not only helps you to learn how to meditate, but she inspires and empowers you to create the habit, too. That's the hardest part. And it's the bit people normally miss out.
Through her work as an NLP Trainer ('user manual' for your brain), you get to clear out the hidden blocks, excuses and limiting beliefs that derail most people, when they try to learn to meditate. As an Author, Mentor, Entrepreneur and Busy Mum, she specialises in making it easy for you to create a meditation habit that you love, no matter how hectic your life is.
With her Masters Degree in Mechanical Engineering, Clare's work is grounded and practical, whilst still containing the inspirational 'engineer-approved woo-woo', for which she is famous. It's the missing link that means this stuff actually works.
Over the past 9 years, Clare has helped over 2,000 people learn how to meditate, and to discover for themselves the benefits that as little as ten minutes a day can bring to your life. Her podcast, 52 Mindful Moments, is regularly featured by iTunes as one of its top spirituality podcasts, worldwide.
My Big Vision with this Mastermind programme is for you to feel inspired and empowered, with clarity about what you want to create in 2017, with your batteries topped up, and the tools you need, to clear out your hidden blocks and take inspired action.
That's why it's all-too-common to reach the end of the year and our biggest dreams and ideas are still just notes, gathering dust and making us feel guilty. Or maybe it somehow feels 'safer' not to take action on them, to keep playing small.
If you feel like you're stuck dreaming big, but playing small, or your heart is calling you to step up to the next level, then there are going to be out-of-date hidden blocks and comfort zones you need to clear out.
You can tell because your body will 'flinch' or contract, if you imagine taking action towards those dreams.
On this inspirational 6-month Mastermind programme, you'll discover how to spot those blocks, fears and excuses, before they get in the way, and I'll share deep-dive, practical techniques you can use to make them a thing of the past.
“Take the first step in faith. You don't have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step.” Martin Luther King Jr
Pre-Mastermind Video Workbook
You'll hit the ground running, because your pre-Mastermind video workbook (it only takes about an hour) will help you to take the next steps on your Big Vision clarity, as well as starting to look at how you might be subconsciously self-sabotaging.
It also means I can design the monthly deep-dive sessions around your needs.
Monthly Online Workshops
You'll get a specially-designed interactive workshop each month, covering core themes for Daring To Dream Bigger, as well as learning how to pre-empt and release your hidden blocks.
It is a live, transformational course, tailored to your Mastermind group's needs. You'll get inspired gems from my 14+ years of mentoring Passionate World-Changers.
Twice-Monthly Live Group Mentoring Calls
These live Q&A calls are perfect for you to get answers to your questions and to celebrate your successes. They are vital for your accountability.
They can be accessed via the internet and you can join in live, so you're not being 'talked-at' - it's a live, international group mentoring session. And you can even show up in your PJs!
Mastermind Breakthroughs Together
You'll get access to my Google-proof forum, for discussions about each month's core theme, and you can get to know your fellow Masterminders. Bounce ideas, get answers to your questions, and inspire each other to step up; to Dare To Dream Bigger.
Demystified Ancient Wisdom
It's not just left-brained logic, psychology and business stragegy we'll be covering. Sometimes 'sticky' blocks need you to go below the surface.
So I'll also be sharing with you practical techniques from the worlds of yoga and meditation / mindfulness, to reach the parts that 'thinking' cannot reach.
Lifetime Access To Your Mastermind Group
Even after our 6 months of online workshops and group calls, you'll have access to your secret Facebook group for as long as you and your fellow Masterminders want to keep it running. Plus you'll get membership of my Inner Circle Mastermind & Mentoring Grads network.
You might be running a business, you might be a freelancer, you might be self-employed, you might be working in or managing someone else's business.
The 'inside work' we do in the Stepping Up Mastermind will work for you, whatever it is you are doing with your days - and whatever it is that you want to achieve or create.
"Clare speaks powerful truth about what works in the world, sharing incredible wisdom and savvy smarts in the most heartfelt way. Her energy and enthusiasm helped me rekindle old dreams – especially the one that says I can have a lot of fun earning a living helping others in unlimited ways!
"Her processes illuminated what I wanted in business and why and then actually laid out how to get there! At a crucial point in my life, I got to see and feel how vitally important inner work really is as the basis for professional success. Thankful I had Clare is an understatement. The biggest change is in me – learning to trust what I know. Talk about results!"
Online & Worldwide
Over half the places have been filled already. Want to make sure you get yours?
So many of us miss this out. We get inspired and excited by an interesting idea and dive straight into taking action, without first pausing to get totally clear about what we want, why, who we want to serve and how we’re going to fix their burning problems, in a way that no one else does.
The absence of clarity is the biggest cause of procrastination, inexplicable out-of-character addictions to cutesy cat videos on social media, overwhelm and half-baked results.
This is the biggie. The difference between hugely successful people and those who wish they had been successful is a little bit of luck and planning, but a lot of confidence.
We’ll be dealing with everything from limiting beliefs, to hidden fears and excuses, to subconscious self-sabotaging behaviour, to self-esteem and even who you really are. You’ll discover how to turn these round, to fast-track your way towards making a bigger difference in the world.
I have lost count of how many brilliant world-changers I have met, hiding in the proverbial corner, desperately wanting to get their message heard, but also secretly scared that anyone might notice they’re there.
So we’re going to deep-dive on how to get comfortable with being visible (wave goodbye to Imposter Syndrome and feeling like a fraud), and you’re going to create a practical action plan to become the go-to expert in your field.
Once you’ve got clarity about what you’re doing, for whom, and why, and you’re starting to convince yourself and the world that you’re a credible expert, then it’s time to get connected.
In this phase we’ll get connected with yourself - your inner wisdom; your Dream Audience, so you can magnetise your Tribe and your Dream Team, who are the vital support team and the partners who help you get your Big Message out there.
This is where we unleash those inspired actions. We’re going to explore how to easily connect with your creativity, no matter what is going on.
You’ll also learn insider secrets from my former career as Head Of Market Research for a major international brand, so you can use that creative genius (yes, you have it), to create products and services that your dream customers will rave about. In fact, they’ll feel like you’ve been mind-reading their biggest problems and they’ll love you for it.
Without this, those brilliant ideas will never make it to reality. Commitment to complete projects is vital.
In this phase you’ll discover how to build the habit, so that commitment becomes easier, even if you’re secretly suffering from ‘Shiny Object Syndrome’ and the thought of being a 'completer-finisher' makes you run for the hills.
Hardly anyone knows about the power of this stage. But if you’re having a tough day, cultivating the habit of celebrating your successes, no matter how small, will keep you going. We rarely take time out to notice the progress we’re making, yet weaving a few minutes of gratitude into your daily life can be transformational, turning your Inner Critic into your Biggest Cheerleader.
And it's a secret key to creating the changes you're dreaming of in the world.
Here are SOME of our topics for this Mastermind:
"I now have clarity for how to pivot my business that is truly me - leverage my gifts.
"Clare also turned on the lightbulb for me so I have inner motivation to carry me all the way through. Lastly, working with Clare pushed me to get clearer on who I should focus on attracting - ideal target market, who I give the biggest transformation for."
"Running a business was been a game until now. I realised that I have been undervaluing my talent and BIG ideas since I started. This revelation was AMAZING.
"The unique way in which Clare gives you permission to dream bigger and take inspired action is life-changing."
"Clare's insights are gentle and lovingly delivered. When put into practise, they are truly empowering and life-changing. The depth to which you can absorb and really LIVE her suggestions, is where the transformation begins."
"I had reached an impasse in my writing and my editing business. It had become far too easy to find excuses NOT to do something.
Clare has not only started me dreaming again, but has inspired me to take action, something I hadn't done in some time."
Note: due to her busy schedule, this is the ONLY online-based Mastermind programme that Clare will be running in 2017.
Clare Josa
Mentor To Passionate World-Changers since 2002, International Speaker, Member of the Institute Of Directors & author of Dare To Dream Bigger: the 'inside work' handbook for entrepreneurs and passionate world-changers
My big passion is inspiring and empowering you to clear out the hidden blocks that had been getting in the way of the difference you're here to make in the world.
I'm an NLP Trainer, Meditation & Yoga Teacher and an Engineer, an entrepreneur of 14 years, and former Head Of Market Intelligence for a leading international brand, as well as the Author of five life-changing books.
I love to demystify Ancient Wisdom, blending it with the best of practical psychology, and a generous dollop of humour, to make it surprisingly easy for you to feel confident, excited and fearless about the next stage of your journey.
You have all the answers you need, inside of you.
I'd love to show you how to find them.
Each live online workshop (once a month) lasts about an hour, plus you might spend a few hours on that month's deep-dive materials and any action challenges.
Your meditation will be about 10 minutes, and you'll want to do that as regularly as you can.
The live Q&A calls will be maximum one hour per fortnight.
All online sessions will be recorded, so you can download them and watch / listen at a time to suit you.
It's all designed to be easy to fit in around your schedule, but you will need to mark out time in your diary, to get the most from your membership. I can't do that for you!
The entire 6-month Stepping Up Mastermind programme is yours from just £197 per month.
Choose which option you want and then click the button to make your first monthly payment and guarantee your place.
Create lifelong change and step up to the next level.
Regular price is £347 per month.
Save £900 by joining today.
For extra accountability and individual support.
Regular price is £497 per month.
Save £700+ and get £500 in bonuses by joining today.
"Every now and again you get to spend time with someone whom you know will change the way you think about the world, for the better, from that point forward. Clare is one of those people.
"She’s influentially powerful and calmly assured, passionate about others’ success and inspires those she engages with. I first came across Clare when the rules on VAT in Europe changed, for the worse, for the small businesses that she works with. Quietly and without fuss, she’s created change, spoken at the highest levels and influenced policy throughout the 28 countries of the EU.
"I was blown away by the difference that even a 30 minute session with Clare made. In that short time she helped me to spot where I had been blocking my dreams for over 5 years, without realising it. Now I’m free to create what I always wanted to create."
"I don’t normally do ‘woo woo’, but Clare has helped me to connect at a deep level with who I really am. It has made an enormous difference to my business.
"Without Clare’s help, I never would have taken my business to the size it is now, making the difference that it does."
"Just had to let you know that wow…! Yes I do sabotage my abundance but never quite understood that I was doing this. Now I have a full client roster and I’m about to hit 5 figures a month of passive income (getting paid while I sleep).
"And I have a support team around me that means I only work 4 hours a day. Clare’s inspiration took me from ‘hobby’ to ‘business’. Next step: ‘legacy’."
Choose which option you want and then click the button to make your first monthly payment and guarantee your place.
Hey World-Changer,
How has your week been?
Today I wanted to share with you a message about how important confusion is. When I work with people, one of the states of mind they dislike the most is feeling confused (and I’m with you on that!) Yet it’s surprisingly common.
You see, whenever we want to make a change in our lives or businesses, there will come a point where you need to stretch that old comfort zone. And we will normally experience one of two things:
Both are totally valid. But here’s the rub: you can’t ‘force’ your way out of the confusion. If you do, you’re likely to end up heading at full steam in what might later feel like the wrong direction.
Confusion Is Your Friend
Yeah, I know it doesn’t feel that way when you’re stuck in the middle of it. But it’s like it’s your Soul’s way of telling you that things aren’t ready yet. Maybe the timing isn’t right. Maybe you’re not quite ready. Maybe you need to rest and build your energy first.
Just imagine if a caterpillar tried to push itself out of its chrysalis too early. Its wings wouldn’t be fully formed and it wouldn’t make much of a butterfly.
Confusion helps us to see that it isn’t yet time to press ‘go’. But in these days of high-speed-everything and instant gratification, waiting – resting – pausing – isn’t trendy.
What if you’ve had enough of ‘confusion’? What can do you to start to move on through?
Sometimes You’ve Gotta Shake It Up – And See Where It Lands
If you’re feeling ‘done’ with feeling confused, then you need to get moving. That might be physical movement, to shake off that ‘stuckness’. Or it might be taking a small action, to test whether it feels like the right direction. Doing something different gives you a barometer to measure whether it feels right.
And if your Monkey Mind is too busy telling you ‘fed-up-with-feeling-stuck’ stories, then ask your body to give you the ‘yes / no’ answer, instead. It never lies.
I Shook Things Up This Week
This year has been quite a ride so far – much of it planned; some of it unexpected. And I knew that I was getting ‘prods’ to make shifts. So I threw everything up in the air this week to see where it landed. And it feels great! I hope you’re going to love it.
Here’s Where You Come In
There are so many things I love writing about and (hopefully!) inspiring you with. In these newsletters we cover everything from how to be happy and less stressed, through to gratitude and meditation and mindfulness, through to being authentically you, through to how to make a bigger difference in the world. And I want to be able to dive in more deeply.
Over the coming months and years I’m going to be sharing even more strategies, techniques and insights. I now have total clarity and it feels so exciting! And they fit into two main areas:
Not everyone wants both. So here’s the plan:
I only want to show up in your inbox if you actually want to hear from me. Make sense, doesn’t it? So I’m closing down my old newsletter list at the end of April and creating two new newsletters, tailored to what you really want to hear about.
And if you’re secretly yearning to dive in more deeply on the Soul Connection stuff (with an Inner Engineer’s practical inspiration!), then watch this space in the next few weeks for an exciting new project that’s coming your way.
I’d love to hear from you:
Let me know via the comments, below. My team and I read every reply and we’ll do our best to get back to you. It would be lovely to hear from you.
I hope you have a great week!
With love, Namaste,
Clare x
Clare Josa, Mentor To Passionate World-Changers
This week we’re celebrating our inner critics – even if that sounds crazy! It’s that voice on your shoulder, that negative self-talk that gets in the way when we secretly want to step up to the next level.
And so in this week’s podcast we’re diving in, in more detail, to find out how your inner critic could be damaging your business and practical quick fixes you can get started on today:
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And when you’ve listened to this episode, I’d love to hear from you – via the comments:
Podcast: How Can You Spot If Your Inner Critic Is Secretly Sabotaging Your Business? https://t.co/1yh9F7ytjS #entrepreneur #startup #DTDB
— Clare Josa (@clare_josa) February 22, 2016
Did your #InnerCritic get in the way of your #business yet today? Here are 3 ways to stop it sabotaging your success https://t.co/pjPXiO3sam
— Clare Josa (@clare_josa) February 29, 2016
I’ll be back next week, when we’ll be talking about how you need to forget the 80/20 rule and focus on the 1% rule, instead, if you want to grow your business.
Make sure you’ve subscribed via iTunes, if you want to make sure you get a quick reminder once the episode is live. And you can get my free newsletter by registering below.
See you there!
With love, Namaste,
Clare x
Mentor To Passionate World-Changers, Author Of The Dare To Dream Bigger Entrepreneur’s Handbook
P.S. Are you an Academy member yet? Rates go up in just a few days. Here’s where to grab your lowest-price-ever membership – for life: www.ClareJosa.com/Academy
Hello, and welcome to this week’s Dare To Dream Bigger business podcast with me, your host, Clare Josa, mentor to passionate world-changers.
This week we’re celebrating our inner critics. Yay! You know that voice on your shoulder, that negative thinking when we get into that self-talk that makes us feel miserable. Well, this week loads of us are getting together to do my inner critic kick-start program, which is completely free. You can find it at DareToDreamBigger.biz/innercritic. It’s a five-part video training and to celebrate because we’re going to be setting ourselves free from our inner critics and their hold on our businesses. Today’s podcast is about your inner critic too, so you can benefit from it whether or not you want to join me for this free video training.
I’m curious. Is your inner critic secretly stalling your business? How can you spot it? What is an inner critic anyway?
We all know that feeling. You’re totally fired up. You’re about to start doing something really important. You know it’s a bit of a comfort zone stretch. It might be a new opportunity in your business. It might be a new product line. It might be a different customer base.
There’s a little voice in your head that starts talking. It’s telling you all the reasons why you won’t be any good at it and how you’re never good at anything anyway, and you’re not ready. Maybe the timing is not right, and we should just leave this for now. It doesn’t really matter. We can just put it off for a bit.
You know you believe it because it’s told you it often enough over the years. You feel that tightness in your stomach. Your body tenses, and you might even feel fear and panic rising. But the thing is it doesn’t have to be that way. You don’t have to live at the whim of this inner critic, of this voice, this negative self-talk. You can tame it.
You see; it’s just a habit. Like any other habit, it can be changed. It’s surprisingly easy when you know how. That’s what we cover with the inner critic kick-start.
Today, I want to take you on a whistle stop journey of how to spot your inner critic, what to do about it, and how potentially to turn it into your biggest cheerleader. If that might be useful for you in your business, keep listening.
Now, one of the biggest ways our inner critic surfaces in our business is self-sabotage. I’ve already described the whole kind of not stepping up on our comfort zone. It’s also turning down opportunities. Maybe somebody makes you an incredible offer or asks you to do something, and you just leave it that little bit too late to reply to the email or to return the call. Or, you convince yourself that you’re too busy to do something that you secretly know could take your business to the next level. We’ve all done it. It’s so normal. But, the thing is, if you want to dare to dream bigger and make a difference in the world, you’re going to have to learn to make peace with your inner critic.
The common side effects of having an inner critic, which most of us do, I did meet somebody once who didn’t have one, a wonderful 17-year-old girl. She was really confused when I was talking about it. But, in 14 years of serving the audience I serve, she’s the first one I’ve met.
The most common side effects include:
Is your monkey mind telling you the truth about stress? You’ll either love this article, or you will want to lob rotten tomatoes at your laptop or computer screen at me. To find the show notes: DTDBpodcast.biz/006. Find out the role that your inner critic is playing in your stress stories.
Your inner critic is running the show. That keeps you running your sympathetic nervous system, the fight or flight, meaning you’ve got too much cortisol and adrenalin in your system. That absolutely exhausts your adrenals, and it’s really going to hit your energy levels and maybe even your physical, emotional, and mental health.
Now, if any of this feels familiar, and you’re feeling a bit fed up with that inner critic and that negative self-talk, then today I want to cover five techniques you can use to tame that inner critic and move on with life. Here are five surefire techniques you can use today to start taming your inner critic.
Now, I’ve been where you’re at with my inner critic, and sometimes–I have to confess–it pops back and it reminds me it’s still there when I least suspect it. But, fortunately, having been an NLP trainer since 2003, being a meditation teacher, as well as being a reformed engineer, I’ve developed plenty of practical strategies to handle it fast. I’ve shared them with so many thousands of people now that I know they work. Here are five of my favorite, do them today, techniques to help you tame your inner critic and set yourself free.
The first one is a mindset shift. There’s a fact I need to tell you here. You are not the same as your inner critic. It is just a thought in your head. Okay. Your inner critic is not a real person. It is just a thought habit.
Let’s start by getting the record straight. Although most of us identify pretty strongly with our inner critics, we are not the same thing as our inner critic. It is just a train of thought. It is just a soundtrack that we’re used to playing. No matter how real it might feel, it isn’t actually real. It’s just a thought.
Sure, thoughts have energies, but your inner critic is something that’s in your head. Now, when you realize that, it gives you the power to make changes. You can choose which thoughts to feed by pressing pause. One of the best ways to do this is mindfulness. You might love my Mindfulness for Entrepreneurs program. When you’re falling into the trap of believing that you and your inner critic are one in the same being, then it will always hold the power. If you make it real, it will feel real.
What’s the fix on this? When you feel an inner critic thought coming up, press pause. You can do that. Remind yourself this is not who I am. This is a thought I am thinking. And let it go. Feel the relief bubble up.
Number two is don’t make the mistake of fighting it. I am not suggesting you indulge your inner critic’s every whim, but I am strongly suggesting you don’t outright reject it, fight it, or try to get rid of it. Why? Surely we want to get rid of our inner critic. As Carl Jung points out, what you resist persists. Now, that goes for your inner critic too. If you fight your inner critic or try to get rid of it, you’re resisting it. That means you’re giving it all of your attention, 100% of your headspace rent free, and you’re spending loads of time thinking about it.
Now, I’m a mother of three young boys, so I know that, like a tantruming child, if I feed my inner critic, it will learn to do more of what it got to get the attention it wanted. Just like if you feed the tantrum, if you feed the inner critic, it’s going to learn to do more of the same. This is why I talk about taming it rather than getting rid of it. It’s about accepting that it’s there. There’s a part of you that wants, at some level, for you to see the risks, for you to make sure that you’re not taking really crazy actions. At some level, it wants to protect you, no matter how mad that might feel when it’s in full blown character assassination.
If you reject a part of yourself, it will only ever lead to pain and conflict. Instead, we’re taming it. We’re retraining the part of you that runs your inner critic to be more supportive and empowering instead.
The fix on this one when your inner critic gets ranting, stop what you’re doing and notice that it’s there because then it doesn’t need to shout so loudly. It feels heard. Say a silent thank you, even if you don’t feel like it, but it’s the opposite of rejecting. Then consciously choose a happy thought.
Some of the best ways to do that are actually through meditation and mindfulness. As I say, I’ve got a meditation of mindfulness for entrepreneurs program, but also through gratitude. If you find that you get stuck complaining, you can get off the complaining train. You can retrain your brain to think thoughts that make you feel better. And, you might love my Growing Your Business with Gratitude program. I’ve also got a gratitude journal that makes a big difference with people called A Year Full of Gratitude.
Any program that gets you thinking about what you feel grateful for will make it much easier to pick, consciously to choose a happy thought when your inner critic is running wild. The time to practice this is when your inner critic is not speaking. Something as simple as having a gratitude journal and writing down three things each day you feel grateful for can help you to retrain your inner critic.
Number three today is stop feeding its pesky stories. Your inner critic loves drama, and it makes the nation’s favorite soap operas look dull, quite frankly, in comparison with the stories that are going on in our heads. We all love drama. We love to gossip. It’s why we love to share stories, and the more dramatic the better. Embellishing is completely okay in the inner critic’s world.
Now, unfortunately, when it comes to negative self-talk and your inner critic stories, the more you feed them, the worse you will feel, and the further you will move from the amazing life you’ve been dreaming of. Remember, there’s a bonus article for you on the show notes for this episode at DTDBpodcast.biz/006. Is your monkey mind telling you the truth about stress? It’s really worth going and reading this if you find that you get stuck feeding those stories.
The quick fix on this is to stop feeding the stories. When you feel an inner critic conversation coming on, press pause, and consciously choose whether you want to dive into that drama or whether you want to focus on something else instead. Actually, I’ve got a secret for you. It doesn’t matter how far you’ve gone into the drama track before you realize. You can always press pause and come on out again.
If you’re feeling stuck, then right now grab the nearest small object to you, pick it up in your hand, and really see it. Notice how the light reflects. How the shapes and contours give it form. Feel the weight of it in your hand. Notice the textures. Then, this is the icing on the cake, take a moment to connect with that object from your heart and to thank it for whatever it does for you. If you aim to do this for about a minute in total, it will physically shift the biochemistry in your body, releasing endorphins, rebalancing the parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous system, and helping you to feel happier.
There you go. You took physical action to pause the story, and you’ve moved yourself to a space of okayness and gratitude. That’s not bad for just picking something up for 60 seconds, is it?
Number four today: Are you suffering from “should I”? Just deleting the word “should” from your vocabulary is one of the best ways to tame your inner critic. Now, it’s a biggie for a lot of us.
How often do we use the word “should” in a typical day? I should do such and such. I ought to go to that meeting. Even though I don’t really want to, I should offer to help Fred with his project.
Now, it’s like there’s a naff theme tune in our day-to-day lives. But, if you pause for a moment and notice how “should” makes you feel, I’m guessing it triggers some kind of a sinking feeling in your stomach. Usually there’s a slouching of the shoulders and your back, a frown on your face, and a furrowed brow. The inner critic is addicted to “should” because it’s a great way to get our attention.
Here’s a quick fix. If you feel “should” coming up, pause and ask yourself, “Who says? Is that really true?” Let the answer bubble up. This isn’t about apportioning blame. It’s about pressing pause on the “should.” Notice what comes up for you and use it to gain insights into those old, autopilot behaviors that might be keeping you stuck because awareness is the first key to change through choice. Once you’re aware, you can choose whether or not you want to respond to “should,” or whether you want to make a conscious choice about your thoughts, your words, and your actions instead.
Then number five: I’ve got another secret for you. You don’t actually have to listen to your inner critic. Most of us listen slavishly to that negative self-talk. We replay it over and over in our heads, especially when we’re stressed. You don’t actually have to listen to it. Just because you’re having a thought, you don’t have to tune your radio to that frequency for the whole day. You can choose to turn down the volume and just let your inner critic get on with whatever it’s complaining about, in the background.
Here’s a quick fix. Imagine that you’re in a sitcom. Maybe one partner is ear bashing the other for some kind of mistake they’ve made. The partner who is being ear bashed just carries on reading the newspaper or iPad and nodding politely. When the person has fully vented their spleen, they demand to know what their partner thought of what they said.
“That’s nice, dear,” is the only response they get. The person on the receiving end doesn’t get rattled. They don’t argue back. They totally ride the wave of the other person’s drama, and it annoys the hell out of them by refusing to dance the destructive dance, but it works.
Now, what would happen if you were to play that game with your inner critic once in a while? Giving it a good old, “That’s nice, dear. I hear you.” Then ask it a question about something that moves things forwards in a different direction such as, “Okay. So I’m wondering. What do you want me to do instead?” And watch what happens.
Those are your five techniques today. It’s time for action. I’d love to know which of these techniques are you going to use today and, when you’ve tried them out, let me know what shifts you notice. You can find the comments box over at DTDBpodcast.biz/006. If your inner critic, negative self-talk, and self-sabotage are an issue for you in your business or in your wider life, please come and join us.
The Five Simple Steps to Taming Your Inner Critic is a video training. It takes less than ten minutes a day for five days. You can find it at DareToDreamBigger.biz/innercritic. I’d really, really love to share it with you. It’s fantastic stuff. Although it’s only a 5 part course, we’re still diving in deeply, and it can make a real difference for you.
I hope you found today useful. I’d love to hear from you, via the show note page comments. How does your inner critic get in the way and stall your business, which of the techniques today you’re going to play with, are you joining us for the inner critic kick-start program, and what action are you going to take in the next hour to start taming your inner critic? I would love to hear from you.
I’ll be back next week with the next episode when we’re going to be talking about why you need to forget the 80/20 rule in your business and why your business really needs you to focus on the 1% rule. We are not talking perfectionism here, so make sure you subscribe via iTunes. If you found this useful, please share it far and wide via social media. I hope you have a fantastic week. I will see you next time.
Too busy changing the world to relax and top up your inner batteries? But you're running on empty?
Reconnect with your Soul Path and clear out your hidden blocks with flowing Dru yoga. You'll enjoy classic yoga postures, as well as sequences that are specially designed to help with manifesting.
Clare is a certified Dru Yoga Teacher.
(As Clare's clients call it!)
Clare loves to demystify Ancient Wisdom into practical actions you can take to change your life in less time than it takes a kettle to boil.
She has a Masters Degree in Mechanical Engineering and German, which means she specialises in pulling out what works and ditching the fluff. Everything she teaches is grounded in common sense, with a generous dollop of humour.
Calm your Monkey Mind and reconnect with your Inner Stillpoint with meditation and mindfulness. Plus it's a wonderful World-Changer de-stresser.
Clare has been a certified Meditation Teacher since 2009 and has published two books on meditation and mindfulness.
Energy EFT (aka 'tapping') is a profoundly effective way to release hidden blocks, without having to dive into the drama of past events. It helps you to release the 'story' and to emerge feeling clearer, stronger, happier and more energised.
Clare is an Energy EFT Master Practitioner.
For the Sunday morning workshops, the early bird price is £47 (booked at least a week in advance). The full price is £65.
For the August 7th full-day workshop, you get to pay what this is worth to you.
The suggested donation is what you would charge a client or your boss for a full day of your time.
There are only 10 places on each workshop.
September Theme:
The Power Of Intention
September 17th 10am - 1pm
Experience the power of intention - being in energetic alignment with who you really are - and how this transforms your manifesting.
Earlybird runs until 5pm on 10th September. Doors close at 10am on 13th September.
October Theme:
How To Handle Change
October 22nd 10am - 1pm
The shift from summer to autumn brings with it a wave of change that affects all areas of life. Discover profoundly simple techniques to more easily ride that wave of change, including some life lessons from autumn leaves.
Please note, it is essential that you pre-book, because I'll be sending you a questionnaire to make sure I can tailor the workshop for your specific needs, including any health concerns. This means I have to close the doors a couple of days before the event. I need those days to prepare! This is why I can't allow drop-in places or last-minute bookings.
Also, people travel for up to two hours to attend these workshops and there are only 11 places, so please book your ticket now to guarantee your spot. Thank you! x Clare
Early bird rate = £47 (at least 7 days in advance). Full price = £65.
Includes refreshments, memory-jogger sheets for key techniques and MP3 recordings of any deep relaxations or meditation techniques we do.
Got questions not covered here? Get in touch with Clare's team for answers.
>> Imposter Syndrome Mastermind << - Wednesday 21st June 2017
Dare To Dream Bigger - 3-Month Mastermind - Autumn 2017
