Transforming the Mighty Gremlin

I'm an artist so really strong visual images catch my attention. I'm also a life coach and in my coach training, we learned about "The Gremlin", a metaphor for that voice in your head; that judge, the inner critic who pipes up anytime you want to try something new. I will forever be indebted to the fabulous Rick Carson, who wrote and illustrated the book, "Taming Your Gremlins", and I highly recommend it. He created this great metaphor and it has helped me notice, talk to and conquer those inner voices that were keeping me from growing.

The word "gremlin" worked for me - it was something to kick to the curb, shove off a cliff. It worked for me for years. I even designed workshops around the concept, culminating in Gremlin masks and Gremlin finger puppets: meet Howie, ("How-ie ya gonna do THAT?") and the finger puppet I still can't name because he creepily looks a bit like my ex-boyfriend.

But three experiences, years apart, have gelled together to give me a deeper and kinder way. Nearly two years ago, Debbie Philp of True North Yoga led us through a visualization that was powerful for me. In my capsulized version, she asked that we think of a picture of our young selves, step out of the picture, do whatever we would be doing, notice how we felt, then step in as our grown selves and give our young selves what we needed. I needed love and attention. My second experience happened this year, a year of physical pain and physical therapy and through all that, a new knowing to be kinder and gentler to myself. Finally, a retreat with the wise and wonderful Jennifer Louden helped me reframe the gremlin. We imagined our young selves and, and when the gremlins begin their chatter in my head, she reminded us that they are part of us, remembering a past hurt. As my coach Ed would remind me, they think they're protecting us. Then Jen had us imagine them as a frightened child. I remembered that little girl who wanted to be loved. And my promise to be kinder and gentler to myself.

That's when it hit me - if I'm going to love myself, then I must love all those pieces and parts, even the scary gremlins. I don't have to LIKE all my parts but I can imagine them morphing from a scary gremlin into a frightened child (me) that I can wrap my arms around and reassure that it will be fine if I take that next step, whatever it is. (Okay, sky diving NOT included!) This will help me honor the promise I made to myself to be kinder to me, to love the little girl inside that is filled with joy. Thank you Rick Carson, Debbie, Jennifer, Ed and all those gremlins that helped bring me to this place of greater love. I am truly blessed.