If you have ever tried to live an empowered and full life, you have met yours. The bigger the dream, the bigger the sumo-size Gremlin can be. You may or may not be aware of it. We all have one – some people refer to it as your inner critic, negative self talk or the “bad” angel sitting on your shoulder. We call it a “Gremlin” to personify it so we can work with it. If you can separate it from yourself it is less confusing, and you can hear the voice of your Gremlin versus your whole self (which is the healthy, gifted and talented part of you).
A Gremlin’s job is to keep us safe which is most often achieved by preserving status quo, giving us the illusion that we can keep in control of ourselves and protected to meet all our human needs. Their job is to “help us” and keep us from taking risks, making mistakes, failing, etc. because those things bring pain and hurt and your Gremlin does not want you to have either.
The problem is the Gremlin’s view of safety is unrealistic and restricts a person from wholehearted living. Also, the Gremlin, because it is a fear based part of us, is pretty negative and shows up as a self-sabotaging inner voice that holds us back from life. All humans have this part of us. We are born that way. Gremlins are not “bad,” they are part of our humanity, an internal subconscious voice/urges/thoughts. They are a loved part of us. We are used to them and have been hearing them for years. It is hard to separate when the Gremlin is talking and when a real voice of logic or common sense is talking. Sometimes we fight to get rid of them, but it is a part of your emotional and mental makeup, so it is better to learn to identify that part of yourself and work with it.
Keep Charging & Shine!
Christy Geiger, Executive/Leadership Coach, www.synergystrategies.com
