In the field of human neurobiology, there is plenty of evidence to suggest that a dedicated meditation practice can really help with the chronic anxiety that many of us feel. Meditation calms and focuses the mind and helps regulate our emotions so that we don’t unnecessarily throw ourselves into a panic.  Insidiously, our anxiety often emerges because we fear that something will happen….when in fact nothing at all has happened yet.  Often the dreaded event never happens at all, but the rush of cortisone and adrenaline that floods our body in anticipation of this terrible thing takes a toll on the nervous system.  Also…it just doesn’t feel good.  People who meditate regularly report that they are able to deal with stress, fear, and uncertainty with much less reactivity. The lessened “reactivity” also allows for much better problem solving if there is an emergency situation

A less well-known kind of meditation is called “Loving Kindness” meditation.  In more standard meditations you might focus on calming your body and mind and following your breath.  In contrast, Loving-kindness meditations are guided meditations, where you simply listen to a soothing voice speaking kind affirmations about your inherent worth, or your basic kindness.  The voice might also urge you to forgive yourself for your imperfections or the times you were not at your best. The message is essentially, you are really ok.  There is nothing wrong with you.

Adding a “Loving Kindness” meditation to an ongoing practice will help you to respond to yourself with love and self-compassion whenever you have a thought that you have failed, or you are not “good enough”.  You have in effect “preloaded” your mind with positivity about yourself, and “habituated your negative thoughts to expect, and get, a kind response”…from YOU.

So, “inner critic”…you need to step aside.  Next time you try to tell me that I’m “bad” or “stupid” because I’m not perfect and have made a mistake. .. know that I will be listening to a different voice…a kind and forgiving voice and it’s getting louder.  Soon I will not hear you at all.