Taming Your Gremlin Essay

The book, Taming Your Gremlin by Rick Carson, is about how to silence or “tame” the inner critic or “gremlin” we have inside us. It’s the narrator inside of our head. The first and most important step is to “simply notice” or become aware of the gremlin and it’s affect on us. It’s only after we’ve successfully tamed this gremlin that we will find inner peace and fulfillment.

The main theme of the book was to “simply notice” and become aware of the existence of your gremlin. In fact, the book says that simply noticing cannot be overstated. Once you’ve become aware of your gremlin, you’re encouraged to identify, describe, and even name your gremlin. The author gives several examples of different gremlins that he’s been introduced to by his clients over the years. For me, simply noticing and identifying my gremlin was not simple at all! Before reading the book, I really wasn’t aware of my own negative thoughts. Eventually, I was able to recognize and identify my gremlin who I would describe is like “The General,” constantly barking out orders and criticizing my actions.
It’s the type of book that you want to take your time to read as there’s a lot of information to absorb. There are interactive exercises throughout the book which are designed to help increase your self-awareness. The book is easy to follow, showing you step-by-step how taming your gremlin can change your life by allowing you to deal with negative feelings that are holding you back from self-fulfillment. Each chapter covers a different topic, such as what gremlins are and how to identify yours, the importance of breathing to fully experience the moment, how to center yourself, and strategies to help tame specific types of gremlins. The last few chapters discuss how, by discovering our natural self we can find true love within ourselves. Thus, we can experience the “ultimately beautiful inner experience of being