The soul is not going to compete with your ego for attention.
At any given time, there’s a voice in your head driving you mad. You spend all day mumbling about whether or not you should make a career change, trying to decipher if someone is angry at you, or if your relationship is worth it. You stand in the shower, pearls of water flowing down your head, staring blankly at the wall as you contemplate life.
You cannot wash away overthinking.
This voice you hear stems from inner chaos — the devil himself. It leaves you with an overwhelming sense of dissatisfaction with yourself and your life. It creates a confusion that moves you away from the person you are.
We were not born with these erratic voices. It’s through conditioning from society, caregivers, and constantly being told who to be and how to act that we lose our sense of self.
We are born with a strong inner voice, but the world teaches us to doubt it. There are two competing voices.
The voice of the ego is created out of fear, doubt, and the need to maintain a self-image. The voice of your soul provides calm, clear direction about your purpose in life.
The voice of the ego is not bad. It’s just there. You decide what to do with it. The voice of your soul allows you to live an authentic life aligned with your beliefs; the ego leads to an unsatisfied life — living for other people. You spend your time chasing goals that you think will make you happy, but will not. I used to think that all my thoughts were the reality of my life. This is false. I realized that I had to nurture the thoughts that mattered and release the rest.
How will you know the difference between the voice of your soul and the voice of your ego?
1. The soul whispers. The ego is loud
The voice of your soul is not going to compete with the voice of your ego. Your soul whispers. It is calm and steady. It waits until you are still before you can hear it. It is not going to fight for attention, it’s not going to push — that’s what ego does. To hear the voice of your soul, you must listen.
Shut down your laptop, disconnect the Wi-Fi, pause your binge-worthy playlist, stop searching for YouTube videos, tell Stacey you can’t meet up today, retreat from loud city horns, flashing lights, WhatsApp notifications, and listen — not forever, but probably longer than is comfortable.When you are still, there the voice of your soul will speak. It will help you see your life clearly. It will help you realize what’s no longer working for you, and what might instead.
2. The soul aligns inwards. The ego seeks external validation.
At first it can be difficult to tell the voice of your soul and ego apart because on some level we are hoping to be appreciated for who we are, and what we do. And that’s okay. The life that truly matters, will exceed your need for validation.
Here’s how to tell the difference: ask yourself,
“If I were never paid another dollar, would I do this for free?”
“If no one had any expectations of me, would I live this life?”
“If no one was watching, would I still continue this habit?”
“Does this action make me feel satisfied and uplifted or depressed and shamed?”
If your answer is “yes,” that is the voice of your soul. If the answer is “no,” that is the voice of your ego.
The soul shows up like this, if you love painting, you still paint though nobody see’s your work. If you’re obsessed with playing basketball, you continue to play, even if you don’t make the professional league. And when you are done, you are done, and move on, to the next part of your life.
Your soul amplifies your talents the person you are beneath the shame, doubt and conditioning. Ironically, when you find flow instead of force, people will find you anyway.
3. The voice of the soul responds. The voice of the ego reacts
The voice of the soul responds to a question, “What is this moment asking of me?” There is a pause before it acts or answers. It does not rush into situations or feel pressured into circumstances.
The voice of the ego responds out of emotion. It fears being left out and left behind. It reacts to what’s trending. It builds it life on vitality versus authenticity.
The voice of the soul may post a picture or quote on Instagram when there is something important to say. This doesn’t mean that you cannot post every day or follow a content plan, but you post content that feels aligned.
The voice of the ego reacts to what’s trending, it posts about topics you aren’t interested in. It slanders people or speaks negatively because that’s what people want to see.
The voice of your soul will direct you to what feels natural. It doesn’t follow what everyone else is doing. The voice of the soul follows the right pace and timing for your life. It works with your nervous system, not against it.
4. The voice of the soul feels steady. The ego feels chaotic
Your nervous system knows when something feels right, and when it does not. The voice of your soul leaves you feeling relaxed, even vibrant. Your demeanour changes, you smile more, people notice a glow on your face, and confidence in your posture.
Sometimes, the voice of your soul pushes you out of your comfort zone, which can feel uncomfortable instead of steady, but the difference is, the feeling is based in curiosity and excitement, not dread. It always ties back to your true beliefs versus the need for self-image and validation.
The voice of your ego feels chaotic. It can show up as breakouts, swelling on your skin, and uncertainty in your voice. The voice of the ego has an undertone of unease.
Remember, the voice of your soul will lead you to be the best version of yourself. The voice of the ego is created out of fear, doubt, and the need to maintain a self-image. The voice of your soul provides calm, clear direction about your purpose in life.
If you are uncertain about the direction you want to go in life, take time to listen. There, you will know which answer comes from the voice of your soul and which comes from the voice of your ego.
