The Voice Inside Your Head

Many times we are pulled in different directions by the countless external influences in our lives. It seems like everyone we know has an opinion about what we should be doing and often their ideas are quite dissimilar. With so many suggestions and possibilities, how do we know who to listen to?

I think that if you clear away all of the outside pressures and turn within you will find the most important voice of all: your own. This voice has been there since the beginning of your existence and will continue to be there for the rest of it, guiding you as a trustworthy inner compass that will always point in the right direction. It is hard to hear sometimes because of all the chatter from other sources, but if you practice silencing the distractions then you will find that your greatest asset in navigating the roads of your life is right there inside of you, waiting for you to listen.

Everybody hears this inner voice, but many are afraid to listen to it because it contradicts what that rest of the world is telling them. They ignore it in fear of the consequences they’ll have to face. But I dare you to be brave. I dare you to go against the grain and do what you really know you should do, even though no one else is saying so. This is your life and you’re the only one that can hear what that voice is telling you. Follow your intuition and trust that you know the correct steps to take better than anyone else. Many of the greatest leaders in the world have chosen to take the path less traveled because they knew in their heart it was the right one to take. Be one of them.

Finding Yourself

We always hear stories about people trying to “find themselves”. And it seems like the most common path chosen during this journey is to uproot and leave home. It’s like their true self is out there in the world somewhere and they have to travel every corner of it in search of this lost treasure.

Believe me, I’ve been trying to find myself for quite awhile too. And I definitely plan on picking up and traveling the world at some point as well. But I’ve begun to realize more and more everyday that I don’t need to “find” myself, because my true self has never been lost. It has always been right there, inside of me at the core of who I am every single day.

We come into this world as our true selves, pure and untainted in any way. As we grow older we develop habits and learn customs from our parents, schools and cultures that begin to mold us and ultimately we claim an identity that says “this is who I am”. We become a product of our environment, for better or worse. But many people eventually realize that they’ve been heavily influenced by their environment and seek out new ones, hoping to expand their perspective on life and learn more about themselves in the process.

Fortunately for those of us who are still trying to find ourselves but do not have the resources to hop on the first flight to Tibet there’s good news. Your true self is right where it has always been, inside of you and waiting to be explored. That little voice of intuition that’s been speaking to you throughout your whole life is who you really are. We just get so caught up in our day-to-day matters of survival that most people don’t take the time to listen to it, and that’s when you start to feel lost.

So go ahead and book that Eurotrip (and take me with you), but in the meantime start the inward journey that’s going to show you what you’re really looking for. You've been there all along.

Let's Get Deep

How much time did you spend on facebook last week? Be honest with yourself. I’ll be honest with myself too. Between updating statuses, posting pictures, sending tweets and watching youtube videos the minutes really begin to add up. It’s no question that today’s society has become preoccupied with a technological revolution. And unfortunately part of that revolution includes a growing deficit in real human interaction.

Now don’t get me wrong, I’m all for social networking. Just today I was talking online with friends from elementary school that I would have otherwise lost touch with. And you wouldn’t be reading these words right now without it. But I think we all need to be reminded about what’s real and most important in life: personal connection. It’s one thing to text your best friend that you’re thinking of them but it’s a whole different story when you can give them a hug, look them in the eye and tell them you love them to their face.

Living in such a fast-paced society we often only skim the surface of our relationships with quick hellos and superficial conversation. To really connect with someone, heart to heart and soul to soul, requires us to open ourselves up and allow other people into a deeper place within us. There’s a lot going on in there that even you might not be aware of. Having a real, authentic connection with another person involves an exchange of energy that can help bring out a lot of new discoveries about yourself. It’s exciting. It’s growth. It’s life.

So next time you go out on a lunch date with your friend, leave your blackberry in the car and give that lucky person your full attention. Listen attentively, be open and see if you can get a little bit deeper than reliving the party you went to last weekend or updating each other on celebrity drama. If you have kids, take the time to really have a connection with them. Turn off the TV, find out what they’re learning in school and who their new friends are. There’s a whole world of thoughts, desires, fears, dreams and dilemmas that exists inside of each of us and we should all have the courage to explore this world and share it with others.