creep in and the volume of our inner critic ’ s voice may become deafening . I watch this pattern in my interns every year and see how undermining it is for their confidence and belief in their abilities . So , at the start of their internship I share my nurturing mantra “ progress not perfection .”
Repeating this mantra is one of my most nurturing practices and reminds me to focus on my growth rather than the need to be perfect at something I am just learning . This mantra short circuits the process of judging ourselves when we make mistakes as we are learning , and encourages selfcompassion , kindness , and resilience . Grounding ourselves in compassion and kindness is how we cultivate our own inner mentor and transform our inner critic at the same time .
Anne Frank ’ s quote above embodies the encouraging message of a person who reminds us of what is possible when we are unable to see it within ourselves . Mentoring is a balance of encouragement and accountability and is a powerful combination that supports sustainable growth as we see what is possible when we keep stretching . As we cultivate our own inner mentor we learn to encourage ourselves to stretch outside our comfort zone and grow into the person we want to become .
Since the art of self-nurturing is about nurturing the most important relationship you will ever have — the relationship with yourself — cultivating your inner mentor is essential to creating a life filled with selfcompassion and self-love . Knowing that you have the power to build yourself up , acknowledge your strengths , celebrate your progress and growth , and become
“ The good news is that you don ’ t know how great you can be ! How much you can love ! What you can accomplish ! And what your potential is !”
– ANNE FRANK
your own biggest cheerleader is healing and transformative . As you strengthen your positive relationship with you , your trust in yourself will grow along with your confidence and belief in yourself . Over time your inner mentor will challenge the disempowering messages of your inner critic and will inspire you to stretch and grow from a place of selflove and self-nurturing .
To start cultivating your
inner mentor engage in these steps :
1 . Nurture your self-compassion :
It is essential to affirm and acknowledge yourself as you cultivate your inner mentor . So much of the time we ignore how we
WISDOM & SELF-GROWTH
59