Who Is Living Inside Your Head?

Who Is Living Inside Your Head?

Depending on the answer to who’s living inside your head, it may be time to take roll call and shift some duties. We all have voices constantly talking to us. Growing up, I was told that if you heard voices in your head, you were crazy. I guess we’re all crazy then because those voices talk all day, every day. The key to next-level living is to start identifying the voices so you can turn down the volume on the ones that are no longer benefiting you and turn up the ones that are.

Trust me. I know all about those voices. I’ve had a VERY LOUD one show up recently. Almost two months ago I made a choice to stop eating or drinking anything with sugar or flour. I realized the addictive qualities of those items (along with artificial sweeteners) and decided they were not benefitting me. (Someday that journey will be another blog.) However, during the last eight weeks, one voice in my head has been REALLY, REALLY, REALLY LOUD – the Saboteur. This voice wants me to believe that if I don’t eat a particular food (Nadine’s Dairy Bars), drink a particular drink (Chai Tea Lattes), eat right now, snack between meals, or if I don’t eat more, I WILL DIE. It also tells me I deserve a treat, or that it’s my birthday, so I should eat whatever I want. You get the idea. She has been working overtime!

NEWS FLASH – she isn’t real! She feels real. She is very convincing, AND she is working to sabotage my commitments to myself that will make me healthier. For me, the healthy voice is my Best Me. She’s the voice that really wants what’s best for me and is in alignment with my outcomes and dreams. She has my back.

I’ve promoted Best Me and demoted Sabby (the Saboteur). Sabby still shows up, although, less and less often these days. When she does, I acknowledge her because she wants to be heard (all our voices do), and then I politely tell her no.

You get to choose which stories to listen to and which ones you need to push away. When you stay present and focused on your Best Self, you’re able to hear the voice for what it is – just a voice telling you an old story. At some time in your life, that story may have benefitted you. Appreciate the voice for wanting to help, however, it’s ok to let it go because “the business of you is heading in a different direction.”

This applies to every area of your life. Are you stuck in a story that as a boss you have to control everything and make all the decisions? You likely learned that story from one of your bosses. Yet, research shows that approach leads to high turnover, low employee satisfaction, low customer satisfaction and limited results.

Start with your outcomes. What do you want? Create the stories, habits, and voices that will support those outcomes and dreams. When any other voices want to distract you, acknowledge them, tell them your new story, and keep moving forward.

Listen carefully to your stories today. I’ll bet there is some reorganizing in your head that needs to happen.

When you want to experience what’s possible. When you write new stories and see just how much easier your life can be, reach out to me at barb@high5leadership.com. Your Best Me is waiting for you!