“My brain talks to me a lot, and it talks a lot of shit”

Danny Dyer talking about his inner critic, anxiety and doing group breathing exercises is the most heartwarming telly I’ve seen in a very long time. On TV show The Assembly, neurodivergent people fire tough questions at the actor which he can't dodge!

You might be aware that it's mental health awareness week and on the podcast this week the topic is our inner critic or what Arianna Huffington has called the "obnoxious roommate in your head."

I chat with clinical hypnotherapist James Mallinson (who also happens to be Mr Now Go Create) about the impact of our internal self-talk on self-esteem, creativity and wellbeing with practical ways to identify and deal with your inner critic.

It's the (completely normal) ongoing dialogue we have with ourselves and it’s our mind's way of narrating our experiences, reflecting on the past, evaluating the present, and anticipating the future. James explains that the average person has between 35,000 to 55,000 thoughts daily. While many of these thoughts are neutral, the negative ones can be particularly harmful to our psyche and performance.

Negative internal self-talk is the destructive commentary that sabotages our confidence and abilities. It can range from simple statements like "I can't do this" to harsher self-criticisms that we would never dare to utter to another person.

James shares impactful tips and exercises honed from working with over 5,000 people in his clinical practice, that will help flip the script on negative thoughts. If you’re interested in ways to work with your inner critic to channel more of an inner coach then this episode is for you.

Robbie Williams personifies his anxiety as 'Blanche'. By giving his anxiety a name and a somewhat comical persona he aims to detach from it and create a more manageable relationship with his mental health struggles. This can be a useful strategy to start identifying and observing your mental chatter in a slightly detached way.

Does your inner critic have an identifiable look, feeling, name or tone of voice?

My inner critic is a right grumpy, snarky cow. She slobs about in a dirty tracksuit ready to tear me down over all sorts of surprising things, at inconvenient moments.

In this episode highlights include:

• How to understand what internal self-talk is

• The impact of negative self-talk on creativity and performance - James shares research and experience working athletes and special forces on handling internal dialogue

• Practical steps for identifying and changing your inner critic

ICYMI I recorded an episode on burnout and the impact on creativity too, which seemed to really resonate with a lot of people – sadly unsurprisingly when burnout is rampant and it's lethal for creative thought. If it chimes with you, take 30 minutes for yourself over the long weekend, sit down with a brew and listen to this episode to help you to pause, reflect and consider how to re-fill your creative cup.

I know from conversations that this can be a real issue if you are managing a team too, and I have some insights on how to navigate this at work, including having clear boundaries for yourself.

I'm on the PRCA online panel this Friday discussing mental health, burnout and the impact of creativity if you're up for more practical ways to support your mental wellbeing, sign up here.

On next week’s pod I have a brilliant chat with the inimitable Graham Goodkind, Chairman and Founder of Frank as they celebrate 25 years in the PR business. It’s a goodie!

 If there’s anything on your mind that you’d like hear talked about on the podcast, or someone who’s voice needs to be heard as ever, let me know!

Tune in wherever you get your podcasts including Apple and Spotify.

Until next time, Claire

Founder, Now Go Create | www.nowgocreate.co.uk