The Adult Censor

As adults, as we experience more criticism and feedback, are told to be “realistic” and “practical,” in our ambitions, imaginations and scope of the wider world; and as a result, the Adult Self becomes less open to playful and creative thinking. It starts to control everything about our waking lives.

That bossy, judge-y, grouchy, productivity-obsessed voice? Yeah. That’s your Adult Self. That’s the *INNER CENSOR* adult-brain trying to helicopter-parent your poor little child-artist. 

The Adult-Self interferes by over-scheduling your inner child for too many after school activities; by being critical when they don’t win awards, get into elite schools, or meet milestones in a timely manner. When they fear the inner child isn’t as good as the other inner children. 

This Adult voice says:

“Sweetie, NO, those colors don’t go together”

or 

“That looks nothing LIKE a unicorn”

or 

“Your singing is not as good as good as SUSAN’S.”

But the Adult Self does have a role in our lives! It’s the part of us that practices critical thinking and is able to discern good from bad. Your Adult Self has taste, a discerning palette, informed experience, training, and has gained practical wisdom.

But these parts of ourselves need to live in balance with one another.

Don’t helicopter parent your Inner Artist—they’ll learn to be small, quiet or worst of all: to shut down altogether.*


* or, I dunno, become a serial killer— which would be a whole other box of bees.