VIDEO: How to Make Friends with Your Inner Critic

I'm excited to be kicking off an intuitive new project: IdeaChats. Intuitive in the sense that there is no grand plan -- I'm excited to just let this evolve. That's how I roll with most of my projects.

IdeaChats are all about new ideas -- ideas that turn my mind and maybe will turn yours.

I am starting with the brilliant people I already know and then will broaden to others. The first IdeaChat is with my friend Tim Desmond, a Buddhist psychotherapist. In this conversation, we delve into Tim's approach to working with the "inner critic," so pervasive in Western consumer culture. I once published an issue of my former magazine To-Do List with the theme: "Self-Loathing: A Resistance Manual." Everyone wanted to contribute. I have always found self-criticism to be a poignant topic because it is so prevalent and yet so taboo to talk about.

When you find yourself beating yourself up, how can you stop? Should you ignore your inner critic? Silence it? Argue with it? Or is it best to show your inner critic with love? Tim thinks it is best to soothe the critic and ask it what it needs.

Enjoy and stay tuned for IdeaChat 2.

Idea Chat #1: Befriending the Inner Critic with Tim Desmond from Sasha Cagen on Vimeo.

To learn more, visit sashacagen.com