Listening to Your Inner Voice
We all have a voice running in the background of our minds, interpreting our experiences, and giving us feedback and guidance. At times the voice is kind, and at times horrible. Learning to notice which voice is playing is vital to our health and well being. Let's take a look at them!
The Critic
Chances are this voice is the one you are most aware of. It follows you around, speaks over your shoulder, whispers awful nothings in your ear, and has one goal—to tear you down. If you have ever said to yourself, “I don’t need enemies as long as I have myself.”, you have an intimate relationship with this voice.
The Informer
This voice says, “Hey, something’s happening!” and fights to get our attention. Its goal is to help us and awaken us to what needs to change. Sometimes it speaks through a nagging feeling, or a dream. Sometimes it speaks through our body, via aches and pains of all kinds. Sometimes we are aware of it and consciously choose to ignore it because facing our pain can seem overwhelming, or we can misread the calling entirely and think something is wrong with us.
The Questioner
When this voice takes a front seat, things are moving in the right direction. This is the voice of reason, the voice that says, “Hey, hold on! Let’s take a look at this and see what’s really happening here.” The aim of this voice is to question our perspective, put the Critic back in its proper place and help it mature. The more we give this voice room to stretch and grow, the more we begin to heal.
The Lover
The Lover is like warm honey—sweet, soothing, and life enhancing. This is the voice of compassion, for ourselves and others. This voice understands that everything in your experience is here for your well being and its aim is to keep proper perspective. It is humble, it is wise, it is patient, and can have a wicked sense of humor. The Lover nurtures and keeps us growing.
For most of us, the Critic is running the show, affecting all of our experiences, and limiting us in many ways. We long for the Lover, to feel better about and truly love ourselves. Yet, trading one voice for the other seems overwhelming. Check out next weeks post about Working with Our Critic.