How your inner critic shows up in times of uncertainty

Meeting Interrogator Ivan 🔦🕵🏻‍♀️, plus a playful art exercise to meet yours

Last week I attended a workshop by

Christina Ducruet

called A 'Potluck' of Not-Yet Ideas & Someday Dreams.

(Your curiosity is piqued by the name too, right??)

She led us through a series of exercises to unlock/unleash creative ideas that had been bubbling beneath the surface.

One of the most impactful exercises she led us through was a prompt to meet — and interview — our inner critic. The one who holds us back from taking risks and pursuing our big, bold ideas.

After giving our inner critic a name (I chose Interrogator Ivan), we assumed our inner critic’s identity. My partner got SUPER into her role as her inner critic (Worried Wanda). I thought, “Wow, there’s no way I’m going to get that into this.”

When it was my turn, it was light a light switched. My energy, voice, and demeanor changed.

I became Interrogator Ivan — part drill sergeant part wannabe fortune teller who’s constantly demanding answers. NOW. I felt him fully: the stern, analytical, agitated, gotta-play-it-safe voice who’s been running the show.

Through this exercise I saw how often he’d hijacked me and how often I listened to him without question. I also learned:

• What he’s most afraid of

• When he first appeared

• What’s important to him

• His gifts (yes, our inner critics have something to offer us!)

Since then, I’ve been playing with other ways to meet that voice with curiosity (even play!)

Because right now, when everything feels uncertain, he shows up constantly.

Pause here for a sec. Who’s your Ivan? Are they stomping around? Sighing dramatically? A Judge Judy type gal? Tell me!

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How your inner critic shows up in times of uncertainty

Even though this inner critic exercise was focused on the voice we hear when we have an idea we’re not making progress on, I started to wonder what role this voice plays when things feel uncertain.

How does ‘ol Ivan show up for me when life feels shaky and unsteady?

When you’re facing uncertainty, like navigating layoffs, money stress, or existential dread about the future, your external world feels out of control. Like a snow globe that someone won’t stop shaking.

In that chaos your inner critic freaks out and goes into overdrive:

You should have seen this coming

You’re falling behind

This is proof of (fill in the blank)

This voice doesn’t just make you feel bad, it narrows your options. It keeps you stuck when what you need is movement, creativity, and new ways of thinking 💡💭

As soon as I started giving Interrogator Ivan shape, I realized how often I listen to him without realizing it. How he’s not just a voice, he’s a whole energy I embody when I’m scared, don’t know what comes next, and everything feels unpredictable.

We’re facing an ~*UnPrEcEdEnTeD*~ amount of uncertainty right now — and for the foreseeable future. I believe our capacity to meet moments like these is through creative resourcing.

Creative resourcing isn’t about making something beautiful (although that might happen!). It’s about giving yourself space to breathe; to stay with discomfort instead of shut down; to see multiple possibilities instead of none.

Meeting our inner critic through the activity I’m sharing below is how we build enough space between ourselves and that loud, fearful (maybe even obnoxious) voice to say, “Okay, I see what you’re doing here. You’re scared. I understand. What do I need to make us feel safe/at peace/loved/etc.?”

This is how you start to open yourself up to possibility even when the external situation feels bleak.

Why should you even bother meeting your inner critic?

Because if you don’t, it keeps running the show.

BUT if you can meet it, name it, and start to understand what it's trying to protect you from, you start to build:

Confidence → “I hear the fear, but I trust myself more.”

Adaptability → “I can try something new even if it’s imperfect.”

Flexibility → “I’m allowed to pivot, play, experiment.”

I was so moved by Christina’s exercise, that I want to share my own riff on it here. It combines elements of play, therapeutic art, and journaling 💗

Let’s meet them together

Meet Interrogator Ivan 👋🏼 I even gave him a little military badge LOL

Your inner critic is protective — not evil. In this exercise we’re going to give a name, voice, and visual representation to this part of you, so that you can better see it, meet it, and calm it when it gets loud.

You don’t need to be a capital-A Artist to do this exercise. I’m not (I can draw stick figures and that’s about it).

Our goal here is to just give your inner critic shape, move it out of your head, and then onto the page.

What you’ll need:

• Notebook + pen

• Watercolor paper, paints + paintbrushes

• Scissors + glue

The process (30-45 minutes):

Check in What feels uncertain or overwhelming to the point that you feel stuck and unable to make progress or move forward?

List the reasons why this situation feels uncertain or overwhelming. What story are you telling yourself?

Name the voice Now that you’ve identified the negative or critical narrative running through your mind, give this part of you a persona and a name (for example, when I did this exercise I gave my inner critic the persona Interrogator Ivan).

The more ridiculous the persona, the better!

As you give this part of you its own identity, start to think about what they would look like. Does this voice have a face, posture, wardrobe, and/or mood? If so, start imagining a few details about what they would look like.

Paint the mood Next, grab your watercolors, paintbrushes, and watercolor paper. Think of the colors your inner critic exudes.

Maybe he/she is fiery and you think of reds, oranges, and yellows. Maybe they’re like a drill sargeant and you think of browns, olive greens, and blacks. Loosely paint these colors in whatever way you’d like and fill up the entirety of the page.

Tip: Surfacing our inner critic’s voice can often make us feel dysregulated and maybe even on edge. Use this time to settle back into your body and getting lost in the flow of your paintbrush.

Cut + collage Once your paper is dry, cut up your watercolor painting into pieces. Big pieces, small pieces. Squares, triangles, ovals, squiggles. This will become the basis for the collage of your inner critic. Give yourself LOTS of options here!

Tip: I usually reserve about a quarter of the painting and set it aside in case I need to cut more pieces or certain shapes later on.

Then, grab a piece of blank paper and start laying out your cut up pieces to form the shape of your inner critic. Once you’re satisfied with the layout, start gluing each piece down.

Speak now Next, give your inner critic a voice by answering the following questions from their perspective. Write the answers in the margins/space around your inner critic.

Before you begin take a moment to ask your inner critic to step forward in their full energy, posture, and tone.

• What am I most afraid of about this situation?

• When did I first appear in (your name)’s life?

• What’s most important to me? What do I want?

• What are my gifts? What am I most proud of offering (your name)?

Once the questions are complete, thank your inner critic for coming forward and sharing these concerns.

Reflect Back in your notebook, reflect on the answers your inner critic shared and write down any insights that are coming through. What surprised you? Take a moment to also appreciate your inner critic and how they’re trying to protect you.

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I hope this therapeutic art exercise helps you see that your inner critic isn’t the villain (but it’s also not the boss!).

If you do this exercise, I’d love for you to share your experience with me (and others reading this!).

Giving your inner critic a persona + a name is the first step 👇🏼