I recently presented my keynote at a large conference for women in Engineering. I opened my keynote — Discover Your Authentic Voice - And How To Use It To Create Change — with a story about the feedback I received in my corporate career that I was too direct. Because of that feedback, I started to hold back the bold, fiery side of me. I questioned my voice and began to speak more cautiously. Not thoughtfully, cautiously.Which begs the question -- should I have ever listened to that feedback in the first place?!?

The inner critic is real! It shows up in response to imposter syndrome, perfectionism, and all the rules you’re taught about what you’re “supposed” to do to be a good woman, parent, friend, spouse, employee, leader, etc! When you fall short of the standards embedded in those rules, your inner critic swoops in.