When you Feel Like a Failure 1. It’s important to remember that you’re not alone. There are SO MANY OTHERS who feel the same way, too. 2. Remember it’s a pattern and you often feel this way. You know your inner critic always seeks to bring you down! 3. Remind yourself you’re trying to make progress and to change. Your heart’s in the right place – so be patient with yourself. 4. Forgive yourself for failing or for saying something stupid. Cut yourself some slack, let it go, and start again. 5. Try to spend time with people who accept you as you are, and who sees your strengths and good points, your potential, and your worth. 6. Don’t think about your failures. They are firmly in the past. Visualise yourself being someone that you’re proud of, and you like. 7. Be kind, understanding and gentle with yourself. You’ll find you’ll feel much better if you don’t demand so much. — Online Counselling College #feelingLikeAFailure #innerCritic #bePatient #forgivingYourself #kindness #compassion https://www.instagram.com/p/CePQdZFuC1M/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

Another fun episode, this time with a Musician and  a Author...Definitely a show you don't want to miss.....

ADHD & Imposter Syndrome: The Inner Critic Is Loud Today

There's something wicked in the way my inner critic speaks to me through my ADHD. A taunting voice, a belief in the worst, and the perfect opportunity for imposter syndrome to invade my every thought. This often teams up with a dip in my self-esteem and the evolving deconstruction of a childhood led by puritanical ideology. My wave of emotions only help deepen the twisted perspective the inner critic tries desperately to get me to believe. I've tried to ignore it in the past, believing that distraction was a way for me to "feel better." Life and joy don't work that way, not really anything does.

Original digital artwork by Britt Bender

ADHD & The Inner Child

The world can be a capitalist hell and it often preys upon my ability to care. To care about art, life, accomplishments, and almost everything else. Somedays I can't give a single sh*t about the art surrounding me in my studio. That simply sucks. I'm a fantastic artist, a good friend, and a loving partner, and even though it's hard to say it, I'm a good writer. Because of a society that praises the neurotypical, my own ex-evangelical trauma, and the fear of joy in something not producing monetary gain, It can be hard to think I'm anything worthy of praise at all. Imposter syndrome is masterful in the worst ways but can be pushed and reframed. Reframing or taking a break from my mind can feel impossible sometimes. There's a lot of fear and "what if?" talk surrounding this experience. Doubt becomes a present enemy and anxiety tags along as a sort of sidekick. My inner child doesn't scream at me, instead there's an upsetting solemness in the voice that brings up a necessary inner guilt. Part of me looks at the accomplishments and joy in my life with a sincere amount of admiration. In the past it's been much harder to even acknowledge that voice over the loudness coming from the questions and doubt put forth by imposter syndrome. Nowadays, it's not at a place I'd hope for it to be, but I've found myself stopping and addressing the inner critic more than I have in the past.

Facing Imposter Syndrome

Picking at every little detail, second guessing your own intelligence, and most any other road block can come with imposter syndrome. It's typically worse for anyone not a straight, able-bodied, white, cis-gender man. Being someone whose external aesthetic leans towards the feminine (even though I would identify as gender-fluid), discussing anything or being talented in an area dominated by men can be a horrible experience. I still experience a deep uncomfortable fear when needing to address concerns or ask for what is rightfully mine. It's not something new for me, but it has changed its appearance based on where I am in my career and/or stage of life. ADHD contains layers. The layers of skill regression, hyper focus, and more have served to only help my imposter syndrome. It becomes easier to explain potential mistakes or the validity of "what if?" moments in my mind. Doubt shakes hands with my mind, inviting in the false narratives placed in front of me. "I'm not meant to write about horror" "I don't want to come across as..." "Maybe I should stick to writing about..." "Do you work as hard as__?" "You're not keeping up with the latest news" "You know you have to work at this harder than him" "Maybe it's ok I wasn't considered for this" "Does your background in film even matter?" "It's not worth the inevitable argument" "Best to just ignore it" "Stick to your area of coverage" "I don't want to write right now and that breaks my heart" "My studio is a mess again" "I used to be able to..." These aren't statements from some TV villain or from an online troll...these are my own thoughts. They are ones I have had in the past or recent ones that have come up time and time again. I don't want them. It would be great to ignore them, same as I do with the daily instances in which my potential is fucked over by a man's decision or a "good guy" and his indecisive self-protection. My mind can often regard my ADHD as the enemy. In many of my symptoms and breakdowns, that's very plausible. But there's a relief in writing down those inner thoughts and messages. It's easier to take down something negative in your own mind when it's written plainly in front of you. When it comes to dealing with things outside of my ADHD, there's a level of difficulty that becomes a special kind of hell because of my inner critic and subtle (or not so subtle) sexism playing out day to day for me. Writing about my experiences has definitely helped, but I am also lucky enough and privileged to have access to therapy. I try my best to work through my fears when it comes to standing up for myself or acknowledging what I deserve. It's something that truly is work each and every day, but it doesn't drain me. Reminding myself the worth that my inner critic and imposter syndrome ignore is what counts. I can't continue to be my own enemy. Otherwise, I'd be joining a select few and society in creating my narrative. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9cZu-4esvRY Read the full article

Value Your Own Voice

January 20, 2024|Blogging

We always have a tendency to compare ourselves to others. Do not do this, everyone is different in their own way, and tell stories that way. You can not expect to be exactly like famous authors and find the same success. Find your great stories, that only you can tell. In the process, it will nurture your communication and strengthen your words. You have to first start with knowing that you are capable of adding value to the conversation. Draw upon your own personal journey and express yourself, and remember, "Enjoy the Write!" KSCarson

Happy Monday!! Don't forget to take care of yourself today and every day 🫶🍉

#selfsabotage #boundaries #healthyboundaries #traumarecovery #emotionalhealing #settingboundaries #worthiness #emotionalhealth #selfawarenessjourney #cbttherapy #therapyiscool #healingtrauma #anxiousmind #selfkindness #emotionalwellness #innercritic #mentalhealtheducation #wellbeingjourney #emotionalresilience #overcominganxiety #bepresentinthemoment #iamenough #selfcompassionjourney #setboundaries #selfappreciation #selfloveisthebestlove #chooseyourself

In the midst of everything going on, I need to remember to be kind to myself. Looking back at everything that I've accomplished, I need to stop and reflect and celebrate. I need to walk away from the mental anguish I've been holding onto. It's time for me to embrace laughter when I can and to be inspired to look at things in a new way. A change in the way I think and the power of joy are steps towards being kind to myself and I just need to take it one step at a time. ✨️Cards from The Practical Magic Inner Witch Tarot. #tarot #tarotreadersofinstagram #tarottribe #practicalmagic #practicalmagicinnerwitchtarot #groundedbythemoon #path #journey #reflect #laugh #joy #inspiration #innercritic #outlook #outcome #LGBTQIA #gay #change #walkway #spiritualaf #sparkleon #shinebright #likeadiamond #cardoftheday https://www.instagram.com/p/Cow4_-KONnS/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

#Sometimes it's hard to put our finger on what it is we are feeling.🤔 Our thoughts and judgments of our emotions can make them more intense, morph into more complicating feelings and make them persist for longer than they naturally would. Lets try "putting the welcome mat out for our emotions".. say hello to them, allow them to be, without judgement. It's okay. We're all human. ." #mentalhealth #journeytowellness #selfcompassion #selfempowerment #selfcare #socialanxiety #selfcareisntselfish #selflove #mindfulness #anxiety #affirmations #selfacceptance #depressionsupport #stressed #mindfulliving #mindfulness #innercritic #cartoon #illustrator #gratitude #mentalhealthawareness #cartoonart #drawing #copingskills #mentalhealthadvocate #counselling #illustration #mindful #psychology https://www.instagram.com/p/BqsMZkoBTd4/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

Feeling like a freud about your own calibres and achievements is imposter syndrome. But do you know it can affect you as much as it can affect a C-suite professional? 👩🏻‍💼👨🏽‍💼 I have heard people look past their imposter syndrome because they feel they haven’t achieved enough to have this problem. Simply put, they have Imposter Syndrome about Imposter Syndrome. 🤷🏻‍♀️🤷‍♂️🤷🏾‍♂️ Learn to value YOUR daily achievements in LIFE and your PROFESSION. It’ll not only help train your subconscious to accept praise and prizes of achievements better, but also let you recognise at what point you’re feeling uneasy about the spotlight. You can reorient yourself from that awareness. 💫 Want to work on your mindset to become a go-getter? Reach out to me for a Coffee chat 💬☕️ Link in the bio. 💕 #impostersyndrome #mentalhealth #selflove #selfcare #confidence #mindset #selfdoubt #impostersyndromeisreal #womensupportingwomen #womeninbusiness #imposter #innercritic #womenempowerment #selfesteem #impostorsyndrome #anxiety #mentalhealthmatters #phdlife #careerdevelopment #podcast #motivation #entrepreneur #growthmindset #careercoach #selfworth #limitingbeliefs #perfectionism #mentalhealthawareness #personaldevelopment #confidencecoach https://www.instagram.com/p/CkDHaodLHxP/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

Who needs enemies...

Self-Criticism: How to Manage Your Inner Critic

How do you deal with self-criticism?

Why do you keep bashing yourself? You critic your body, your performance at the things you do to develop your life, the clothes you wear, everything – until it becomes an obsession. How does criticizing help you; unless you are doing so intentionally? We all aspire to be the best we can be. And analysing ourselves is a tool for measuring our efforts and achievements. While this is an excellent…

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Imposter Syndrome

Photo by Rishabh Dharmani Previous articles I have written can come back to Imposter syndrome. My article on mental health looked at men’s stubbornness when it comes to admission of needing help. Then later we looked at a modern trend of “fake it till you make it”, which is covered again later in this article. So, as I have said before, I am not a mental health professional but have been forced…

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Silence Your Inner Critic

January 19, 2024|Blogging

Is your internal monologue friendly, calm, and encouraging – or critical and bullying? Critical voices in your head like to run wild when you sit down to write. “This is stupid.” “No one’s going to read this.” “Where is this going?” Don’t listen to them. They will stifle your creativity if you let them, so learn how to shut them up. Don’t judge yourself or limit your creativity. Stop Yourself When You Notice Your Inner Critic. Replace Critical Talk With Positive Thoughts, and remember, "Enjoy the Write!" KSCarson