Tommy Ludgate
Certified Coach for Creatives
I work as a coach for creatives. My work spans many creative industries, including working with performers, writers, artists, stylists, authors, designers, and so on. And more often than not, in our 1:1 work together, we get to talking about the inner critic voice. We all have one, or a few! I’ve learnt the more we run from this voice, the louder it shouts. So I’d like to talk to you about how you can get to know that voice, and work alongside its continual commentary.
I first discovered that there was a name for this voice when I started to explore life coaching further. It was something some of my favourite authors, Brene Brown and Elizabeth Gilbert, talked about. Gilbert talks about fear in her book Big Magic, ‘Just because you don’t need your fear when it comes to your creativity, of course, doesn’t mean it won’t show up - especially when you’re trying to be inventive or innovative.’ It was also referred to as the Gremlin voice in some of the coaching books I was reading. It isn’t new.
I really relate to the fear and judgement we put on ourselves as creatives. As a singer, songwriter and performer, I have been well aware of having negative and fearful thoughts as I practiced and created songs or arrangements. What if I forget the words on stage? What if people hate the song I’m writing? What if I’m not as good as my peers? What if I simply fail at all of it?
Through my coaching practice I have learnt ways to familiarise myself with the frequent chatter of my inner critic and have learnt ways to acknowledge it and get some distance. Julia Cameron, author of The Artist’s Way, speaks about characterising your inner critic so you can have a conversation with it via your journal writing. For the record, mine is called Zara.
I learnt a powerful CBT exercise in my coach training that helps my clients to do just this. We work together on a visualisation to get down to the nitty gritty of who that inner critic is - what they look like, their expressions, what they say, what they are called and, best of all, how we might delete them all together! Sometimes more than one character forms in their mind. I’ve learnt about varying characters in recent sessions! A snooty business woman who wears all black and looks down on you. A strict solider who wants everything to be executed perfectly. A stuffy matron who is overpowering. A sleekly dressed maternal figure who wears expensive perfume and a two-piece suit. Oh the creative joy at visualising these pesky characters!
Let’s look at how we can characterise your inner critic so you know who YOU are dealing with! Then you can choose to hear what they are saying but take no notice if you choose.
Sit comfortably and take three deep breaths. In through your nose, and out through your mouth.
Tune into the critical voice in your head. Close your eyes if it helps.
Who is the person talking to you? Visualise their demeanour. What are they wearing? What are they saying to you? What facial expressions do they have? Do they have a name?
How do they make you feel?
Can you connect with the sensations in your body? Tune into your body from head to toe.
Take three deep breaths. In through your nose, and out through you mouth.
If you were to delete your inner critic character, how would you take them out?!
Finish by taking a moment to note down your character in your journal.
Whenever Doris, Frank or Buster (your critic character of choice) shows up, take some time to write down what they are saying. Acknowledge their input and then respond with how you want to feel. Use your deleting tactic if necessary. Then move on with your day towards your positive intentions.
“Tommy is a certified coach who works with creatives to achieve professional and personal success.
Tommy’s mission is to help anyone with a creative soul overcome the challenges that are holding them back in their professional career and personal wellbeing. With over a decade’s experience in coaching singers, songwriters and performers, she is an expert in nurturing people and bringing their talents to the main stage.
In a former life, Tommy performed with Paloma Faith, Noel Gallagher and Paul Weller and released an iTunes Top 10 Blues album. She is experienced in the challenges that can hold artists back and in building effective strategies to overcome them.
Tommy uses her unique blend of coaching, mentoring and teaching experience to give creatives the power to achieve personal and professional success. Whether you’re an aspiring children’s author, freelance graphic designer, musician or stylist, I am passionate about working with your creative talent to enable you to achieve the results you deserve.”