Blog 5: Quieting the Inner Critic: Give Your Confidence a Safe Home
Blog 5 in our series on women setting goals
Blog 5: Quieting the Inner Critic: Give Your Confidence a Safe Home
I was alone in a paddock in a bright yellow plane called Tweetybird, about to launch myself into the sky and soar like an eagle, with only me at the controls when a familiar voice started heckling me: “Who do you think you are? You’ll never fly this plane, you don’t know what you’re doing. It’s not safe.”
I flew anyway.
Years later, when I sat down to write Voices of Entrepreneurial Women, it whispered again, “You’ve got no business writing a book. Who do you think you are?”
Meet the inner critic, the voice that wants you to STOP what you’re doing.
These comments used to freeze me. Now I treat them like back-seat drivers—unavoidable but not allowed to grab the steering wheel. The difference isn’t that the voice disappeared; it’s that I stopped accepting every thought as gospel. I learned three gentle steps:
1. Notice the noise – Catch the critic as soon as it lands.
2. Name it – “Ah, there’s my Inner Critic trying to keep me ‘safe.’”
3. Neutralize its power – Breathe, thank it for its concern, and choose a kinder narrative.
A Practical Tool: The Confidence File
Our brains cling to negative moments like Velcro and let achievements slide off like Teflon. A Confidence File flips that script. It can be a digital folder, a shoebox under the desk, or pages in a journal—whatever feels inviting. Here’s what to stash inside:
• Screenshots of praise – A reader’s email about how your words helped her launch her market stall.
• Thank-you notes – The handwritten card from last month’s workshop organizer.
• Tiny wins – That morning you said “no” to an extra commitment so you could draft chapter two.
When doubt pipes up, open the file and reread the evidence. The goal isn’t ego-boosting puffery; it’s a realistic reminder that you can do hard things because you already have. Past successes build self-efficacy—the quiet belief that you’ll find a way forward next time too.
Your First Step
Take ninety seconds right now. Scroll through your phone or memory and find one piece of proof that you’re capable and courageous. Maybe it’s a photo of your first market day, a screenshot of a kind Instagram comment, or the certificate from that short course you nearly talked yourself out of. File it—literally or digitally.
Then, when the Inner Critic starts its familiar monologue, you’ll have tangible counter-evidence ready. Over time, that brief ritual of looking back will strengthen the voice that says, “You’ve got this—keep going.”
What will be the very first item in your Confidence File? Share it in the comments so we can quietly celebrate together. Remember, stories spark action—and this small act might be the nudge someone else needs today
Until next time,
