Befriend Your Inner Critic:

What if your inner critic wasn't your enemy?

If you're human, you've not doubt heard it  — that  persistent inner voice questioning our decisions, highlighting our flaws, reminding us of past mistakes, which seems to get ever-louder every time we're on the cusp of trying something new (or potentially enlivening). 

Sometimes, it feels like the only way to keep going under the pressure of self doubt is to silence it, fight it, or ignore it, which can work quite well for a time until we end up… exhausted, frustrated, stalled, and confused.

What if there were other options to try: ones that are sustainable, nurturing, and potentially... quite fun to try? 

This is not about:
- Aggressive "positive thinking" techniques
- Suppressing genuine or logical concerns
- Pretending to be anyone other than who we are

This is about:
- New insights: recognising the rather ingenious protective intention behind self-doubt
- Developing a nuanced and workable relationship with your inner voice
- Transforming criticism into constructive insight
- Accessing the subtle strength that emerges when you stop fighting yourself
- A way to get cracking on our courageous and creative adventures or projects, be they small or large, personal or professional.

In short, this workshop offers options for ways to live well with your inner critic. 

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A NOTE FROM YOUR HOST

Hello, my name is Clare Bowditch,  I'm a musician / author and coach who also happens to live life in the company of a very persistent inner critic who I have had to learn to live well with, because if I hadn't, I wouldn't be here, talking about this event... 

In my memoir 'Your Own Kind of Girl', I tell the story of a time in my early twenties when I found myself in such a brutal struggle between the loud, disruptive stories and fears that I told myself, and my competing desire to 'make something of my life', that I felt I was right out of options.

It was hard at the time to see what is so obvious to me now - that the voice our inner critic is not, as I had a assumed, a sign of great moral flaw but rather, a very human and useful technique that allows us to keep ourselves out of danger. Sometimes, that instinct is very necessary; when it shows up at the right time, it really can save our lives. But if it continues to show up in our day to day existence without need, it can rob us of our ability to live our lives well; with courage, joy, and a sense of meaning and hope.

How do we balance respecting our 'inner critics' protective voice with our desire to live fully?

My experience has been... we can do it quite simply, if we know that it's possible (and, I believe it is).

With a gentle playful approach, and a fair bit of practice, I've learnt how to get along quite well with my so-called 'Inner Critic' and I've also had the pleasure of passing on what I know in the hope others might find it handy. 

This online workshop - my first ever - shares the most useful insights I've gained from a lifetime of managing my own loud inner critic, and over a decade of teaching in both personal and professional settings, techniques that allow us to live well with our self-doubt, and cultivate creative courage that can be put to use wherever needed. 

After our ninety minutes together, I’m hoping you will walk out with a new and gentle theory about how the very voice that tells us to stop before we've started (to stay small and safe) could also when, when understood, become quite the powerful little ally? 

WHAT I’M HOPING YOU’LL EXPERIENCE:

- Understanding: gain clarity on why the inner critic exists and the important role it plays in your life.
- Transformation: Learn how to reframe critical thoughts into valuable insights that serve you.
- Practical Tools: Discover elegant, research-backed techniques you can apply immediately in moments of self-doubt.
- A Way Forward: The beginning of a new and personalised approach for growth, self-compassion and the feeling of pleasure, in your own everyday life.

As your event-host, I'll be teaching in a style that schmooshes the following, in the most entertaining way I know how: 

1. Solid Insights: A research-informed framework to understand the ‘inner critic’s’ purpose and how to leverage its potential advantages.
2. True Stories: Learn through personal experiences and the wisdom of historical figures who mastered their inner critics.
3. Playful, Practical Exercises: Evidence-based, creative techniques that are easy to adapt and take with you wherever you go.
4. Room for Questions: a space at the end to ask questions, tie up loose ends, and learn from others on the same journey.

Your ticket also includes:

- A downloadable mini-workbook
- A recording of the event (especially handy if you can't make it on the night but still want the lesson)

WHO IS THIS FOR?

This workshop is designed for thoughtful individuals who would like to learn new ways to live well with their self-doubt and discover techniques that are practical, portable, and playful. Perfect for professionals, creatives, and anyone navigating challenges where self-doubt appears as an obstacle rather than an opportunity for self-knowledge and personal development.
Ticket link below...
HOPE TO SEE YOU THERE!

Bowditch xo

ABOUT YOUR HOST:

Clare Bowditch is an ARIA Award-winning musician, ABIA Award-winning author, a LOGIE nominated actor and the best-selling creator of Audible's “Tame Your Inner Critic’ series. She also happens to have a propensity for ‘self-doubt’, and has spent a lot of her life learning how to live well with her own inner-critic, who she sometimes playfully refers to as “My Friend Frank”. As an experienced coach and mental-health advocate, Clare has been helping students and audiences cultivate their own creative courage and reframe their self-doubt as ‘a potential source of secret strength” for many decades. She hopes to do so for many more.  

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DETAILS:
Date: Tuesday 18th March 2025
Time: 8pm AEDT
Duration: 90 minutes
Format; Live online educational session
Investment: $48 (introductory price)