4 Steps for Questioning Your Inner Critic

Last updated on: November 7, 2022 at 3:00 am by Andrew Lang

4 Steps for Questioning Your Inner Critic 2022-11-05T09:24:28-07:00 Andrew Lang

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Question Your Inner Critic Andrew Lang Tacoma Seattle Embodied Spirituality

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Here’s a simple method for questioning your inner critic.

In education, there is a process called the Question Formulation Technique (QFT). We use it to help students and teachers brainstorm and develop high-quality questions. And as it turns out – it works great in the context of inner work!

Identify one statement your inner critic often says within you. This might be “I’m not good enough” or “I’m not lovable” or something else entirely. Write that statement at the top of a blank piece of paper.
Set a timer for 10 minutes. In those 10 minutes, write down EVERY question you have as it relates to that statement. Don’t judge or edit them – just list questions. “Who, what, when, where, why, and how” are your best friends here.
After 10 minutes, separate the closed questions from the open questions. Closed questions have one specific answer; open questions have multiple. If any closed questions feel resonant and worth exploring, try turning them into open questions.
Prioritize and identify the top three questions that feel most vital to you in this moment. Walk with these questions throughout the week: journal with them, work with them, process them. Seek out a trusted friend or mental health professional if you need support.

Hope this helps and brings forth some good introspection and insight!

(The QFT was developed by the Right Question Institute.)

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—Brian D. McLaren, author, activist, and teacher with the Center for Action and Contemplation

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About Andrew Lang

Andrew Lang is an educator in the Pacific Northwest, an alumnus of Richard Rohr’s Living School for Action and Contemplation, and author of Unmasking the Inner Critic: Lessons for Living an Unconstricted Life. Along with blogging regularly, he facilitates workshops helping people to navigate their inner lives and explore their sense of identity and spirituality. You can read more about the author here.

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