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Last week, I wrote about Our Higher Self, our Soul Self Our Soul Self, Our Higher Self.
“Some people call it our Soul. Some people call it our connection with God or a Creator. Some people call it our connection with the Universe or the Spirit part of us.
In my mind’s eye, our Higher Self is the part of us that is connected to all things.
It’s the energy that flows through our bodies just as it flows through every other living thing … it’s what we all have in common. It is what we share and bonds us. We each use it differently, making each one of us a unique expression of The Divine.
The Higher Self lives is the spirit part of us. It flows through us and resides in us and with us. It draws us, leads us, and can accompany us, to or through our lives if we open and allow it to.”
Our Higher Self: Self-Doubt as a part of Self-Discovery
As we explore the idea of self-discovery, some people might say “I’d love to open an allow my Higher Self to lead me…but….”
Everyone has a different version of the “but….”
It may be “but, I don’t deserve it…” or
“but, I don’t know how…” or
“but, I’m not good at this stuff….” or
“I won’t like who I really am….”
Self-doubt and self-criticism and judgement can creep in to sabotage our best intentions. The question is: in the process of self discovery, what drives us away from self-acceptance? What thwarts our ability to be more compassionate and kind to ourselves?
Self Discovery: Blocks to Self-Acceptance
Photo by Casey Horner on Unsplash
What gets in the way of self-acceptance and of choosing to be kind and compassionate to our gloriously imperfect selves? Bringing our awareness to the roadblocks, habits, and social conditioning that get us off track helps us shift our awareness and be intentional about our self-talk and our self-acceptance journey.
Let’s start with the most pervasive and nebulous idea that haunts most of us…
Being good.
Why do we place “being good” above self care or safety? How do we listen to and honor our Higher Self?
We learn at a very young age, that being good keeps us safe and connected to those who care for us. Being good, or behaving acceptably, keeps us from being punished, shamed or ostracized.
Feeling connected, whether as a child or as an adult, is a basic human need. We are connected to all living things. We are designed to live connected and in communities. So the drive to find our people, to stay connected, when our society is changing so fast has become quite an undertaking. We don’t always realize it, but we stay on guard and alert most of the time.
Self Discovery: Designed to be Connected
So many recent studies from organizations such as NAMI.org are showing that mental health is a major issue for so many. Following the pandemic of the past few years, the extent of political divisiveness and the resultant fear, the economy, and job security, in addition to our personal lives, fear, anxiety, stress, and worry have become a mainstay for so many of us.
One of our most basic vulnerabilities, our most basic fears, is how do I stay connected?
We learn this as infants. Being connected means staying alive. Being connected means being fed, comforted, warm, and alive. And we also learn our own special version of what being connected requires.
If you think back to the childhood stories that have been told about you, were you the “good” one? Were you the one who never gave anyone trouble? Were you the one who slept through the night? Were you the one who shared and played nicely?
It’s worth taking a moment to consider how much social conditioning goes into that word “good.” We absorb the lessons of what other people think is good from the moment we open our eyes.
Our Higher Self: Being Good Enough
So, here is a radical thought, what if good for other people is not always what is good for us?
What if being good enough for other people, is not healthy for you? What if someone else’s version of good, keeps you from being open to your Higher Self, your intuition, your Soul Self?
Perhaps you already know this? Perhaps your Higher Self has been trying to draw your attention to the relationships, the interactions, the jobs, and the dreams that you need more of? The ones that will feed and nourish and grow YOU.
Perhaps you have an inkling, a tickle in your mind, a dream that you can turn more towards that would feed your soul?
What would happen if that means you’re not going to fit in to someone else’s definition of “good” or “good enough” for your life.
It’s a very simple, yet VERY scary idea.
Why? Because so much of our culture is based more on surviving than thriving, on external approval rather than internal awareness and confidence. So much of our culture is based on what we do rather than who we are.
Our Higher Self: Simply Being Human
Simply being a human being, simply being human, can be really difficult to find time for: we can miss the signs from our Higher Self, our Soul Self. We can skip listening in to ourselves and really hearing what our inner self is experiencing or needs.
This week, let’s try an experiment.
I invite you to notice what it feels like to know that what is best for you, might not be what others want you to do or be.
Feel the tension, the anxiety, or even the dread.
When you notice it, move away to a quiet spot and allow your self to envision what it would feel like to do and be the full expression of YOU.
Allow yourself to experience the feeling and spend energy listening and enjoying that good feeling of being all of you. Then notice the shifts.
I’d love to hear about your experiences.
You can write them down and send them to [email protected].
We look forward to hearing from you!
Many blessings
Lynne
