195: Give Your Inner Critic a Name

You don’t have to believe everything the voice in your head tells you. In this solo episode, Jay shares an unconventional strategy for dealing with the inner critic: give it a name. Inspired by an experience at a silent meditation retreat, Jay explains how a character from The Incredibles, Jack-Jack, became a powerful way for him to create distance from difficult thoughts and emotional reactions. Rather than fighting, resisting, or judging your inner critic, Jay walks through a practical process for relating to it with compassion. By choosing a character, bringing it to mind when triggered, accepting what arises, and responding with kindness, you can create space between your emotions and your actions. If overthinking or emotional reactions sometimes get the best of you, this episode offers a memorable way to respond more intentionally and make better decisions. Notable Quotes “You have to learn how to accept it and acknowledge that it's there.” — Jay Abbasi “If you could really look at something and observe it, then you're going to make a better choice in the moment.” — Jay Abbasi “Speak to that character like you would speak to the people you love most in this world.” — Jay Abbasi “You will create space within yourself.” — Jay Abbasi Resources and Links Jay Abbasi Website: https://jayabbasi.me/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jayabbasi/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jayabbasi_/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thejayabbasi/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@jayabbasipodcast Join Us Next Time On Monday's episode, you'll meet Lucy, a learning and development professional in the nonprofit world who feels like she's become an order taker for leadership. She knows she has more to offer but struggles to gain the buy-in needed to contribute more strategically. Jay is joined by Heather Burright, nonprofit L&D consultant, speaker, and podcast host, to explore how professionals like Lucy can stop simply reacting to requests and start driving meaningful change.