Are you constantly pushing yourself, even when your body is asking for rest? What if your inner critic isn't the enemy—but an overworked protector? How might your life and business change if you made space for play?

In this episode, I sit down with Joe Sanok to talk about something that lives quietly inside so many of us: the inner critic that keeps pushing, even when our bodies and lives are asking for rest. What unfolded was a conversation not just about work or business, but about how urgency, productivity, and perfectionism shape our inner worlds—often without us realizing it.

Joe shares honestly about how his own inner critic still shows up in everyday moments, even after years of success and experience. What struck me most was his reminder that the inner critic doesn't disappear when we "make it." It simply adapts. Together, we explore how cultural narratives around productivity, responsibility, and worth get internalized, and how easily rest can start to feel irresponsible instead of nourishing.

Thanks for listening, I'd love to connect with you over on Instagram.

SHOW NOTES AND RESOURCES: Click here

Where did your inner critic come from? How can you meet your inner critic and really get to the bottom of its fear and judgment? What can you say to your inner critic to release shame, increase compassion, and free yourself from its fear of vulnerability?

In this episode, I explore how to meet your inner critic with curiosity instead of shame. I want to start by normalizing something important: every single human has an inner critic. In Internal Family Systems (IFS), the inner critic is understood as a manager part—a protector that developed to keep you safe by anticipating danger and preventing shame. From a neurobiological perspective, it's closely linked to the brain's negativity bias and the amygdala, which scans for threats based on past experiences.

So when your inner critic shows up, it's not a sign that you're failing. It's your nervous system remembering. The critic is responding to something in your current environment that resembles an old wound, memory, or relational pattern. It's not proof that something is wrong with you—it's information about what feels unsafe.

At its core, the inner critic is usually saying one thing beneath all the judgment: "I'm scared for you." Its job is to keep you away from vulnerability, rejection, or harm—especially if those things were once overwhelming or dangerous.

Thanks for listening, I'd love to connect with you over on Instagram.

SHOW NOTES AND RESOURCES: Click here

Has your inner critic ever blocked you from doing the things that you truly wanted to accomplish? How often has the voice inside your mind talked you out of trying something new? What are the steps that you can take to get past that voice, unstuck, and move forward?

In this episode of The Inner Critic Podcast, I explore the part of us that tries to protect us—but often keeps us stuck. I share how starting this podcast took nearly a decade, not because I didn't want it, but because my own inner critic was very present.

I describe my inner critic as a loving but overprotective Italian nonna—fierce, fearful, and well-intentioned. She was trying to keep me safe, but she still saw me as a child. When I began gently reminding this part that I'm now an adult—capable and secure—everything started to soften.

I invite you to get curious about the part of you that keeps you stuck and to talk to it rather than silence it. These protective parts aren't the enemy—they're doing their best with old information. When we lead with curiosity, we can move forward with more clarity and trust.

Thanks for listening, I'd love to connect with you over on Instagram.

SHOW NOTES AND RESOURCES: Click here