I promise you’ve heard it before. And that you already listen to it to some extent. But for some reason, we tend to discard it, and can get drowned out quite easily by our negative self-talk, expectations we are trying to fill, distractions like TV and social media and food cravings, other people in our lives, the list goes on.
But listening to your inner voice is the most powerful self-care tool. It’s your truth. Your wisdom. And it can guide you in every decision, from what to eat that day to what job to take to who to be life partners with!
One of the main things I work on with my Self Care Mentoring clients is helping them learn what they sound like. To amplify that still voice and empower it to keep talking. It is the key to developing a self-care practice.
Ok, so how do you know what to listen for? How can you recognize it? The answer is simple, but not always easy.
Start by thinking about a time where you made a decision that came from a calm, solid place. You tuned inward and knew what you needed to do. For a lot of people, it can come through prayer. It can come through weighing the pro’s and con’s and making a sound choice. It can come from a gut instinct. But the bottom line is that you actively knew and you moved forward peacefully.
THAT is the voice I’m talking about. Some may call it a higher power. Some call it instinct. Some bodyworkers call it the “inner physician.” But no matter what you call it or where it comes from, it’s still a part of you, and you have to access it.
So the first step is recognizing when you’ve heard it before. The next step is creating a space to hear it more. Were you doing anything in particular when you tuned in. Did you do something relaxing? Were you in a certain environment? Were you journaling? Were you saying your feelings out loud? Become a vessel for that voice to be heard.
The next step is that once you create space for it and recognize it, you follow it more frequently. A simple example is deciding what to eat for dinner. Do you have a craving, but there is this other voice nudging you to eat something that will serve your body better? Little by little, start following that other nudge. See where it leads you. See how it makes you feel.
Now, don’t confuse it with guilt or expectations or old programming. The key is that you will feel peaceful. You won’t feel guilt or anxiety. It will be calm and nice.
The next step is to reflect. Look back on times in your day when you felt a nudge to do something. What did that sound or feel like? What is its personality? Does it communicate with you through a body sensation? A certain quality of thought? Does it use keywords or phrases?
And the last step is to trust. Trust what you hear. Trust what your body does naturally for self-care. Don’t think it needs to look a certain way. Morning rituals don’t look the same for everyone. Diet doesn’t look the same for everyone, etc. Trust what you hear. Trust, trust, trust.
From that space of trust and stillness, it will create a space for the relationship for you and your inner wisdom to grow. And doesn’t that just sound lovely!
Like usual, I would love to hear your thoughts on the matter in the comments. Especially how this is landing with you. I hope it makes sense. I hope you’ve heard what I’m talking about. And if not, get curious! Try it on and see what happens.