Hey friends!
This week, we want to talk about our internal voices.
Mental Shortcuts
Now, I’m going to get a little abstract with you. Bear with me.
As creatures who live in a constant fluctuation between engaged consciousness (being present in the moment) and semi-conscious habit machines (tying our shoes while scrolling on Twitter), we tend to listen a lot to the ego voice inside our heads.
This voice constantly monologues our thoughts and perceptions —usually with a negative or self-deprecating undertone— wrongly assuming the voice is our consciousness; Regularly, letting it dictate our behavior.
We let this voice inform how we react to the world and the people around us; Usually with disastrous consequences.
The reason we do this is simple. It’s a shortcut that allows the brain not to be constantly engaged and spares it from excessive work. Without these shortcuts, our brains would be mentally exhausted with the stream of input perceived by our senses daily; Far too tired to keep us sharp and alert to stay alive in the savanna.
Abusive Ego
This adaptation behavior is cool and all, but in the modern era where humans roam the jungle of concrete, it creates a problem. Our ego tends to gets poisoned by the voices that we internalize throughout our lives —usually your dad’s verbal abuse, mom’s sarcasm, or friends’ criticism. So we become victims of the voices that abuse us and prisoners of our minds.
Now, realizing that you are the victim of the voices in your head that you have willingly acquired is one thing. But, getting rid of their hold and learn how to be your best friend is another entirely.
Sitting down and dealing with your internal critics can be a daunting and draining experience, even with professional help. Trust me, I know. Nevertheless, I have found that the inner peace and alignment I now enjoy is well worth the effort.
I am not, by any means, completely free from the ghosts of my past, but I have made tremendous strides. If you want to hear more about that journey, check out “How I dismissed my harshest critic.”
Additionally, If you want to get our personal experience in the process of learning how to let go of our baggage and grief, check out our post on “Learning to Let Go.”
Finally, I want to leave you with a thought.
Realizing that there is more about life than You sets you free. It breaks the shackles of social and emotional exploitation from others and ourselves. Moreover, we don’t need to take responsibility for other people’s actions or inactions —let that sink in for a minute.
We don’t have to live our lives at the mercy of other people’s opinions or the stories we create in our heads to explain their actions. Instead, we can liberate ourselves from the abuse of the ego and start transforming it from a bully to a positive cheerleader.
Stay safe; stay well.
Cover photo by Sergi Dolcet Escrig on Unsplash
