Are you listening to your inner voice?
We all have an intuition, an inner awareness of what we really want in life, what makes us happy, what makes our heart smile. But, often times we label those thoughts and ideas as impractical or unattainable. We doubt our abilities and instead speak negatively to ourselves, so much so that those dreams soon disappear.
"If doubt is challenging you and you do not act, doubts will grow. Challenge the doubts with action and you will grow. Doubt and action are incompatible." -- John Kanary
It all starts with making small shifts and becoming aware of what you truly want, and what's preventing you from going after it. I believe we are here on this planet to continually grow, connect, love, and learn from each other. But, in order to do that, we must first listen and believe in ourselves.
How To Listen To Yourself
Identify your values - Think about what brings undeniable joy and happiness to your life. When you aren't clear on your values, and get caught up living out values of others (your parents, your friends etc.) you'll likely feel restless and unhappy.
Explore your core beliefs - These are beliefs that often stem from childhood. Common ones include: 'The world is a dangerous place', 'I'm not good enough', 'Everything is my fault.' Beliefs like this can run your subconscious mind, impacting your decisions, without you even being aware of it. But with knowledge comes the power to change these beliefs and replace them with ones that support your growth.
Recognize your inner critic - Pay attention to how often that voice in your head is putting you down and comparing you to others. Stop her in her tracks. She's not in control. You are.
Bust through the noise - Journaling has always been cathartic for me. It's how I can sort through the overwhelm, stress, and spiraling thoughts and find my true voice. When I'm confused, frustrated, angry or experiencing any kind of intense emotion, writing helps me get clear on how I feel and what it is that I want. Find what works for you... maybe it's writing, but maybe it's talking to yourself aloud, or talking things through with a close friend.
Meditiation - Sit quietly and focus on your breath. When the worries and thoughts float away you become more adept at focusing on how you feel and what makes you feel that way. Mindfulness has the ability to bring clarity beyond your daily repetitive thoughts.
Once you're able to tap into your intuition you can't stop there! To reap the benefits from it, you must match these thoughts with action! That means setting goals, creating a plan, and implementing it!
Believe in yourself every step of the way. Because when you believe it, you can achieve it.
"Whatever the mind can conceive and believe, the mind can achieve." - Napoleon