How often have you sat down for a few minutes to chill out, when you start hearing those nagging inner voices asking, “Why are you resting, you know you don’t have time for this!” Get up. Don’t just sit there. You have lots to do. Keep going!” I often wonder when we first start accumulating those critics that are always so ready to make us feel that we just haven’t made the grade yet. I know a lot of it starts when we’re young kids. If you watch toddlers you can see they’re not affected yet by those critics. They’re usually running around, going from one thing to another, yelling when they feel like it, giggling, stopping in awe at a bug crawling along the floor that we would probably kill instantly. We are so over being dazzled by a bug. We’re on to Smart Phones and how exciting it is to have them be able to remind us of what we need to do. Kids are so wrapped up in their delightful, adventurous activities, and so totally involved, that it’s no wonder the universal mantra for parents is “Please look at me, I’m talking to you!” We hope that if they look at us, it will break the spell. I realize that all of us need some discipline in our lives and certainly we should become responsible and accountable. Unfortunately some of us have been overburdened with messages that taught us to always be vigilant as to what we need to do. Somewhere along the way we have forgotten how to enjoy life along with being responsible. We have become one with our “to do list”. It has taken me years to allow myself not to be at the mercy of my mothers’ voice. Many of her messages made sense, but her constant need to make sure that tasks had to be completed before you could have fun became one I carried around for years. I remember making sure my room was neat even though I could barely get out of bed due to a high fever and the flu. “What if someone came over with some chicken soup and they saw my bedroom in disarray”? After all there is a bedroom police isn’t there? I finally realized that it doesn’t matter. What’s really important is to realize that the internal critics you’ve inherited can be dismissed. To become your most authentic self you have to find your own voice. In the end you really have the last word.