The Inner Rubber Ducky: How to Interrupt Your Inner Critic with Play
🤖 AI Summary
Overview
This episode explores how to interrupt the autopilot of self-criticism and cultivate self-kindness through playful rituals, symbolic objects, and sensory cues. The hosts discuss how small, meaningful practices can help us reconnect with our inner joy, curiosity, and worthiness.
Notable Quotes
- Most of us have not found it safe to receive... so cultivating our own little inner rubber ducky can remind us that everything is okay.
- Katie Hendricks
- Notice the drift and make the shift. The more you notice, the more you're going to notice.
- Katie Hendricks
- If you're not comfortable, why not shift? Who said it's okay to feel uncomfortable in your body?
- Sophie Chiche
🪞 Anchoring with Objects
- Katie Hendricks shared how symbolic objects, like a Tibetan good luck charm or a childhood quilt, can serve as reminders of self-kindness and connection.
- Sophie Chiche introduced her rubber ducking
practice, where a rubber duck symbolizes seeking help when stuck. This playful object prompts her to reach out to others for support.
- Objects like photos, fabrics, or even scents (e.g., cinnamon or jasmine) can evoke positive emotions and anchor us to self-compassion.
🐦 Connection Through Nature and Play
- Sophie shared a story about bonding with a roadrunner named Angus, highlighting how unexpected connections with nature can soften us and remind us of our interconnectedness.
- Katie noted an increase in cross-species connections, emphasizing the magic of extending attention and kindness to others, whether animals or humans.
🛑 Interrupting the Inner Critic
- The hosts discussed how self-criticism is a default for most people, with Katie explaining that 50,000 daily thoughts are often negative.
- Techniques to interrupt this loop include:
- Using physical movements like face flapping
to release tension.
- Practicing presence, connect, play
to shift focus from problems to possibilities.
- Asking, What could I have around me that represents kindness or curiosity?
🧠 Developing the Witness Muscle
- Katie emphasized the importance of cultivating a witness
mindset—an internal observer that notices without judgment.
- Simple practices like saying hmm
can shift the brain from criticism to curiosity.
- The notice the drift and make the shift
mantra encourages awareness of when we’ve left our center and prompts gentle redirection.
🌈 Reclaiming Joy and Worthiness
- The hosts explored how societal conditioning often teaches us to expect discomfort and unworthiness.
- Katie suggested that opening the body—through movements like stretching or releasing the jaw—can counteract the contraction of fear and self-doubt.
- Sophie reflected on the importance of believing we deserve happiness, noting that this foundational belief motivates us to shift out of negativity.
AI-generated content may not be accurate or complete and should not be relied upon as a sole source of truth.
📋 Episode Description
We live in a world that trains us to focus on negativity. A world that wants us to contract, to judge, and expect the worst from ourselves (and others). That’s why being self-critical is our default.
We absorb the script early: that we’re not good enough, not lovable enough, not deserving of ease or joy. Over time, that internal voice becomes automatic, so automatic that we don’t even hear it anymore. Then your inner landscape shifts into wholeness, and you start to notice it more.
How do we shift ourselves out of that default state of negativity?
Sometimes, it’s as simple as anchoring ourselves with something that reminds us that we are deserving of wonderful things. A beloved stuffed animal, a goofy rubber ducky, or a simple action that interrupts the spiral, these anchors remind us of what’s still possible: connection, curiosity, happiness, and love.
When we surround ourselves with reminders of our softness and our worth, we start to rewrite the default script.
In this playful and profound episode, we delve into how small, meaningful objects and seemingly simple rituals can evoke powerful emotional shifts.
From feeding a roadrunner named Angus to discovering the magic of face-flapping, we unpack the hidden brilliance behind anchoring practices that help us come home to ourselves.
Things You’ll Learn In This Episode
-Your inner critic is running on autopilot
Most of us default to self-judgment. How do we gently interrupt that loop using physical movement, play, and sensory cues?
-A rubber duck can change your life
Symbolic objects are a powerful way to remind ourselves of the magic of connection. How can a childhood toy or scented fabric anchor us to self-kindness and creativity when we feel stuck?
-Noticing the drift
How do we develop the subtle but powerful witness muscle that helps us recognize when we’ve left our center? What’s the quickest way to come back?
About Your Hosts
Katie Hendricks, Ph.D., BC-DMT, is a pioneer in body intelligence and conscious loving with over 40 years of experience. Known internationally as a presenter and seminar leader, she focuses on authenticity, responsibility, and appreciation in conscious living. She co-authored 12 books, including best-sellers Conscious Loving and Conscious Loving Ever After, and she has appeared on over 500 radio and TV programs.
Sophie Chiche is a seasoned coach and consultant who has worked with thousands of individuals and teams globally. With a focus on helping people live fully expressed lives, she guides clien