One of the best ways to outwit your inner critic is to make sure you know when it's working/alive. One way to do that is to have a conversation with it on paper.  

With the ease of venting publicly through social media, there's a lot more nastiness out there. Wouldn't we all be so much better off if we vented on paper in a letter we never intend to send?

Writers often find themselves staring at a blank page wondering where to begin. Try jotting things down when they happen. Fully formed thoughts are not required.

Y'know “…in the event of an emergency, put your own oxygen mask on first."...? Well, writing’s my oxygen mask. It's the thing that keeps me from losing my shit when I feel like I'm losing my shit.

Venting on paper helps put challenges in some perspective, and creates space to move forward/think creatively/be with what comes up.

When my friend got sick, I couldn’t see beyond her daily struggles (or the emotional and physical exhaustion I was dealing with while supporting her) to write anything coherent or thoughtful about it. Until I did …