6 Practical Ways to Listen to Your Inner Voice

My husband and I are facing a big decision as empty-nesters, and we have been listening to our inner voices as we make our decision.

Let’s say you have got a decision to make. You have got something that keeps you up at night, and you’ve been weighing the pros and cons. Maybe it’s changing a job, relocating to a new city, buying a house, starting a new business or going back to school. You then begin doubting yourself. You begin listening to the negative voices in your heads. Sometimes it’s the internal negative voices but sometimes it is external. 

Practical steps that work

I’ve come up with some practical ways to clear the negative voices that happen inside of our heads. I’ve actually used all of these ideas so I know they work.

#1 Mind dumping or journaling

This is one is my favorite ones. Mind dumping is where you write down everything that is on your mind.  Don’t edit yourself, just write everything down. Whether it is a dream or a fear, put it all down on paper. You write everything that’s in your gut. Write down “Wouldn’t it be great if _______? Fill in the blank with what is one your mind. Wouldn’t it be great if I start a new business? Write down all the things that would be so great about that decision. Take the time to dream wildly and something happens when it goes from our minds to something tangible on paper. You’ll then be able to decipher if it is a well-founded fear.

#2 Get curious

Fear is meant to protect us. It has a great role in our life, but sometimes fear disguises itself as an expert. Get curious and start wondering about the possibilities. Curiosity relaxes our brain while fear makes us tighten up inside. Relax your mind and get curious about the possibilities, instead of being fearful. 

#3  Find time to be silent

It can be hard to find time to be silent. “If we quiet the mind, the soul will speak.” (Ma Jaya Sati Bhagavati) Sometimes we need to find a place where there are absolutely no electronics and be quiet. My husband loves to get out in nature. I absolutely make it a priority to have quiet prayer time in the morning, and I love to work out. That’s the time for my brain to be silent. Whether it is time in nature, prayer, quiet time, yoga or taking a walk, find time to be silent so that you can hear the soul speak. 

#4 Hit the pause button

Our inner voice or our gut is always speaking to us, but the world is noisy. If you are living in a busy world, it is OK to hit the pause button and do the AHA technique: 

A (Awareness): Pay attention to how you are feeling.
H (Halt): Pause and ask yourself, “Why I am feeling this way?”
A (Action): Decide to take action or not take action.

#5 Make a move

 Another thing that you can do to help you listen to your inner voice is to decide to make the first move. If it feels good and your heart feels good, then you have made the right decision. If you’re experiencing resistance or a heaviness, then maybe you made the wrong decision. The signal will become clear as you move.

#6 Get help

Another very practical thing to do to get in tune with your inner voice is to ask a very trusted friend or a coach. Ask someone who will listen, ask good questions and won’t just agree with you. 

Listen to your inner voice

When you hear that voice that says, “That’s impossible, crazy, weird or impractical,” you’re shutting yourself down. You’re rejecting your dreams. You’re stopping the flow of the creative juices. You might be missing out on an adventure when you tell yourself that something is impossible or crazy. You’re training yourself to ignore your inner voice when you immediately shut those things down. It’s super important when you hear that inner voice to stop and do these practical things I have shared here.