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In this episoe of Recounting Life Lessons, we sit down with Sue Erhart, author of Lose Your Critic for Good, and the creator of Practical Spirituality, to uncover what it takes to quiet our inner critics and live a life that is full of more joy and empowerment.
Sue is someone who shares practical tools and wisdom for creating your best life, and in this episode, she shares the experience that started the journey to finding out why she prioritized the expectations of others over her own inner needs, why reaching her goals left her unfulfilled, and what she discovered along the way.
Listen now if you're ready to silence your inner critic and finally pursue goals that feel fulfilling and not draining
In this episode:
- The difference between goals that drain you and those that propel you forward
- The many ways that your inner critic shows up in your life
- The truth about success that most people miss
- Why chasing external achievements often leaves you feeling unfulfilled (and what to do instead)
- How to reframe obligations and expectations so they fuel joy instead of stress
- A simple yet powerful tool the you can use to orient you mind to seeing yourself and your day in a more empowering way
- A surprising and powerful self-love practice that people rarely talk about
Listen now to discover practical tools that quiet self-doubt, fuel your passions and help you live with more joy and fulfillment
More about Sue Erhart & Resources Mentioned:
Sue Erhart is a lawyer, writer, and spiritual guide and creator of the popular website, Practical Spirituality. She is also the author of Lose Your Critic for Good: A Step-by-Step Process for Reclaiming Your Spirit. Her mission is to help individuals tap into their inner wisdom, connect with their authentic self, and make spirituality actionable in their daily lives.
- Explore Sue's work and subscribe to her newsletter at: https://www.sueerhart.com
- Grab a copy of Lose Your Inner Critic For Good: here
- Become a Sione & Alana Insider: here
A FEW Takeaways & Golden nuggets of wisdom from this episode:
This episode was rich with insights, here are a few of them:
- Being hard on yourself only gets you so far, and if you really want to soar and do big things, you've got to dismantle that critic: Constant self-criticism may push you temporarily, but over time it can create resistance, fear of failure, and burnout. The inner critic often limits your potential more than external obstacles ever could
- When you tap into your inner essence and start doing things driven by want, passion, interest, and curiosity, it's like jet propulsion versus sitting there saying "I have to": Goals that are driven by intrinsic motivations are more sustainable and energizing than goals set purely out of obligation or fear. Passion fuels perseverance and creativity.
- We've been conditioned to adopt goals based on external cues and expectations over inner wants, often realizing too late that they don't bring fulfillment: Cultural, familial, and social pressures tend to shape what we chase. Often without us even realizing it it. And it ends up masking our true wants and desires. Many achievements feel empty when they aren't aligned with our inner wants and values.
- We all have obligations and responsibilities, but the words we use and how we frame them will affect our experience: Language shapes our perception. Saying "I get to" instead of "I have to" shifts our mindset from feeling like something is a burden to feeling like it is an opportunity and a joy to do. This simple shift than impacts our energy and experience in doing the thing.
- Use a logbook to record anything good in your day instead of allowing a traditional to-do list dictate your day and success: Traditional to-do lists focus on obligation and productivity and end up reinforcing stress and dread. Logging emphasizes the good, the wonderful, and your accomplishments of your day. This simple practice reorients your mind to see your day and what you've experienced in a more empowering way.
- The inner critic shows up in many ways: The critic disguises itself as practicality, humility, or caring for others. Its ultimate effect is limitation. Awareness of its forms allows you to challenge it.
"Being hard on yourself only gets you so far, and if you really wanna sour and do great things, you've gotta dismantle that critic."
For an in-depth exploration of these takeaways and more, be sure to listen to the full episode below.
Ideas for applying these takeaways:
Want to apply these insights to your life? Here are some actionable steps you can take today:
- Start noticing when your critic shows up: Write down the negative self-talk and reframe it into a constructive or neutral statement. For example, replace "I'm not good enough" with "I'm learning and growing."
- Do something you love: Identify one activity this week that excites you for no other reason than that you enjoy it. Track how it makes you feel compared to a task you "have to" do.
- Assess your goals: Ask yourself, "If no one else knew or judged me, would I still want this?" Reassess your current goals and identify why you have them and which of them are truly things that you want.
- Reframe a responsibility: Take one recurring task you dread and reframe it: "I have to do laundry" can become "I get to care for my home and family today."
- Try logging: Take time to log the good, the wonderful, and the done throughout the day and make note of how you felt during those moments.
- Pay attention to how your inner critic shows up: Does your inner critic show up as self-criticism, playing small, settling, conforming, or putting everyone else's needs before your own? Awareness is the first step in quieting the critic and reframing the feedback it give you.
And for even more tips, be sure to grab a copy of Sue's book, Lose Your Inner Critic For Good.
Listen now to reframe obligations, discover what truly drives you, and create space for joy in your daily life
final thoughts: Perspective matters
True success isn't just about achieving or reaching a goal. It's also about the way we feel. The way we feel is largely influenced by our perspective and the way we are looking at and approaching something. Success is a feeling, just as much as it is a result. When we learn to silence or quiet our inner critic, we increase our capacity to cultivate a life that is more fulfilling and allows us to enjoy that kind of success
Stay tuned for more inspiring episodes as we and people from all walks of life share their experiences and we identify the lessons, blessings, and success principles that life is providing—lessons that we can all take advantage of and learn from if we pay attention.
If you're ready to step into your full potential, make sure to listen to the episode and share it with someone who could benefit from this powerful message. And don't forget to subscribe to Recounting Life Lessons and jump onto our Insider email list for more insights, actionable tips, and empowering stories.
We are Sione & Alana
Co-Hosts and Owners of
Recounting Life Lessons
We're a married couple from Hawaii who are now living in Vancouver, Washington.
Two things that we are passionate about are:
1) Uncovering the success principles and life lessons that help us all grow into our best selves.
Our favorite ways to uncover success principles and life lessons are by sharing stories from our own adventures and interviewing inspiring guests from all walks of life on our podcast.
2) Making personal growth and consistently leveling up in your life simple and sustainable, no matter what your circumstances are.
We take special care to craft the programs and resources we create, in a way, that keeps things simple and easy to follow-through on.
Through our blog, podcast, courses, and programs, we aim to empower you to grow into your best self, live with purpose, and make a meaningful impact on the world around you.
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