Day 19: What I Tell My Inner Critic Now
Stinking Thinking will Get You in Trouble
Can you believe we’ve made it to Day 19? Thank you so much for sticking with me this month, it means the world. We’re inching closer to the end of the Mental Health Month Series, and I’m already cooking up more for you: new art, fun updates, live videos, interviews, and other creative goodness. Got suggestions? Let me know what you'd like to hear about from me.
So listen, just because the series is wrapping up soon doesn’t mean our focus on mental health should. Taking care of our mental health is a daily practice and one that helps keep that old “stinking thinking” in check. (You know, the kind of thoughts that try to convince us we’re not enough? Yeah, those.)
Anyway, I digress. Let’s get back to today’s topic...
There was a time especially in the first year after my stroke when the voice inside my head wasn’t kind. It didn’t understand rest. It didn’t know how to make peace with slowness and fatigue. It didn’t recognize the artist I was becoming. It only knew comparison, urgency, and pressure. It said things like: “You should be better by now.” “This isn’t real art.” “You’re falling behind.”
That voice? That’s what I now call stinking thinking. It’s the kind of negative self-talk that seeps into your mind and makes you feel like you’re not doing enough, not healing fast enough, not creating “right.” It’s sneaky, stubborn, and sometimes sounds like it knows what it’s talking about. But it doesn’t. Beware, those same types of thoughts can come from others too.
“Stinking thinking is fear wearing a mask”.
It pretends to be helpful, but it drains your energy, creativity, and self-trust. For me, it became a loud loop of doubt that tried to rob me of joy during some of my most vulnerable moments. This is where depression can creep in if unattended!! Beware.
But I’ve learned to recognize it for what it is and more importantly, I’ve learned how to talk back.
When stinking thinking shows up, I pause. I don’t let it take the wheel. I take a breath. I remember that my brain is doing its best after trauma, and that this kind of thinking is a survival reflex, not a truth.
Here’s what I say to it now:
“You’re afraid. I get it. But I’m safe now.”
“You’re trying to protect me from shame, but I don’t live there anymore.”
“I’m not falling behind, this is my timeline.”
“My art matters because I matter.”
“I don’t have to earn rest.”
“I create because it helps me breathe. Not because it has to be perfect.”
Sometimes, I write these truths on sticky notes and put them where I paint. Other times, I let my art answer back for me with bold colors, messy layers, and movement that says: I am alive. I am still here. And I love it.
And if the critic gets louder, I practice compassion. I let myself take a nap. I talk to my hubby, mom, sisters, or a friend who all reminds me who I am. I take a break without shame. That, too, is a win.
Stinking thinking may never fully go away, but I’ve learned how to stop letting it be the narrator of my life. I choose a new voice that is gentler, wiser, and braver. One that understands that healing is not linear, and that beauty can emerge even in the chaos.
So today, if your inner critic starts whispering lies, call it what it is. Stinking thinking. And remind yourself of the truth:
You’re not behind.
You’re not broken.
You're not lazy.
You are doing an incredible job just by showing up, exactly as you are.
Now it’s your turn:
What does your inner critic say, and how do you answer back?
Do you have a quote, affirmation, a practice, or a phrase that helps you shut down stinking thinking when it shows up?
Share in the comments, or simply whisper it to yourself right now.
Let’s remind each other: we are worthy, creative, and healing in our own time.
"I used to believe every harsh word my inner critic said. Now I know better: that voice isn't the truth, it's just fear in disguise."
Your Artist Friend,
Michelle Joy Brown
Your financial support really does go towards helping this artist purchase supplies to continue painting and entering exhibitions as well as selling art. I'm a full-time artist now, all monies I earn supports my continued journey.
Thank you for your support and love. 🥰🥰
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