Listen to yourself

How often do you ignore what you know deep down?

How many times do you quieten your inner voice? Ignore your gut feelings? Go against what feels right? Do what you think you ‘should’ instead of what you want?

Society teaches us that we don’t know what’s best for ourselves. That we shouldn’t trust our intuition, that outsiders are wiser than ourselves.

For years, I used to think the same. I’d ignore all the signs – and wonder why I was sad, anxious, depressed or unhappy. I tried to please everyone else, at the expense of my own happiness.

One thing I have learned in the last few years is that is just not worth it. Looking back I can see how unhappy I was, even when I didn’t think I was. I can see so many times that I didn’t trust myself, and it ended up biting me on the butt.

It took a long time to learn to hear what my soul was trying to tell me. To learn how to tune in to my inner voice, listen to my anxiety, trust my gut instincts. Slowly, though, I learned how – and they’ve shown me time and time again that they are always right.

That if we slow down and listen, take the time to connect to ourselves, and honour ourselves, they will keep us on the right path.

Lately, I’ve been feeling increasingly out of sorts. Not depressed, but not joyful. Stressed. More and more anxious with every day. Feeling uncomfortable and lost. So I unplugged. Stopped. Sat with myself, and listened. Really listened.

And realised that I had gone off my path. I had gotten caught up in following a path that was not my own. Trying to be ‘successful’, trying to prove to {I’m not sure who} someone that I could be this person. I saw how ill it was starting to make me. Sucking the joy from my life, making me anxious and weary.

So I said no more. As difficult as it was, I took steps to extract myself from the jobs that were destroying me. Nothing is worth more than my inner peace. I sacrificed that for far too long and will never do that again.

This past week, I’ve spent time thinking, planning, dreaming…. coming up with ideas of what I want to do. How I want to spend my time, earn my living, fulfil myself.

While it may feel impossible to step off a path once we are on it, only in honouring our true selves can we find inner peace. Only by listening to our inner voice can we do what is best for ourselves.

I learned the hard way – and as a Mama, I feel it is essential for my kiddos to see me honouring myself so they know that it is OK for them to do the same.

What small steps can you take today to honour your inner voice?