It's just a bit muted.

Day after day, we get information about how we are going to act, what we want to buy, and what we should do with our time. Between the noise of Instagram commercials, TV commercials, reality shows, and perfectly scrambled fitness gurus, "Ready to share your secret on how to get your dream body," it’s become hard to listen to the small voice within nudging us towards our higher self.

My inner voice sank once before long. I only felt as good as the reflection and validation I saw in other people's eyes; His approach was the only lens I could use to make sure I was "good" enough - whatever that means.

It is a long, bumpy road, but my inner voice is back. Even if it is quiet and still a little sneaky, I am learning to use it as my guide. Below are some tips that will help you follow the arrow of your inner compass.

Pay Attention to Your Body

It may feel like your intuition has left you, but the good news is that your body still carries a large body of information that you need to pursue with the decisions that will make you healthier and happier. Our bodies often tell us before that threat is present in our mind or we need to pay attention to the potential danger. It can appear as an increased heart rate, a tightness in your chest, or notice your shoulders may be strained to your ears. Conversely, positive emotions like excitement or curiosity can feel like butterflies in our stomach, heat, or discomfort everywhere.

We are in all situations that make us feel comfortable and welcome and others that are unacceptable. This is not a coincidence; It is your body that is sending you an important message about the people and scenarios you are finding yourself in. Use these messages as data to help you decide when to stay away from heat or cold.

Recognize Your Triggers

After becoming more aware of how your body responds to certain situations, awareness and mindfulness of triggers can fully develop. Perhaps you notice you shut down when someone is being loud, or that gossiping makes you feel sad and lonely.

The next time your body wakes up to try and talk to you, take a moment to slow down. Reflect on the events that led to this reaction. Who were you with? What thoughts did you have? How did your behavior contribute to the situation? Is there a way to control, avoid, or look at the situation differently to help yourself feel better?

Respect your need for alone time

Once I listen to something like this, in an interview
“…we have to have the ability to go inside and look for the answers that only we have for the big things. I did not have that. I literally had to practice sitting in the quiet and being like, ‘OK, where is that thing that people talk about not knowing?’ But the good news is when you practice it enough, you start to get it.”

Sometimes it’s hard to hear above the noise of the external. In my experience, the best way to reconnect with yourself, your wishes, and your intentions is to simply spend time in your own company. Your mind will take an idea, a thought, an impulse, or a wish and turn it over and over again in your mind until it’s smooth, much like the ocean does with its shells. You’ll be able to arrive at a conclusion borne from your self-reflection.

Choose which feedback you internalize

Sometimes, we don’t have a choice about feedback we receive. But you do not need to absorb every piece of advice that is thrown your way. True, some of them will help you and are meant to push you forward rather than back, but sometimes we find ourselves soaking in mean-spirited words or commentary about our person and character that we just don’t find to be true.

Ask yourself “Is this piece of information helpful to me?” before deciding whether to internalize it and rearrange your thoughts about yourself. Sometimes, you’ll find criticism is just another person’s projection of their weaknesses onto you; in that case, with practice, you can learn to let it bounce right off of you.

Your voice isn’t lost. It might be deeply buried or set far in the background of other distractions, but it’s there, waiting to be honored. Listen to your body, get to know your triggers, trust your intuition, and vet your criticism carefully before accepting it and you’ll be on your way to a brave and powerful voice of your own.


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