In yesterday’s article, Are You Doing What You Came Here to Do?, I shared the benefits of living in alignment with your true self. Today I want to follow that up with some tips on how you can begin to get in deeper touch with who you really are and what you are here to do. Today’s focus is on discerning the difference between the self that you share with the outer world and the voice that flows inside of you.
The key to knowing your true self is first in believing that there is a divine life that is you. It’s recognizing that who you really are is more than the role you play in your family or community, your job, your interests and the thoughts that run through your mind. Those things are all a part of the tapestry that makes up your physical self, yet they are really only the human legs for your divine self. Think of them like the machine and environment for your divine self to thrive and grow. With that idea as your framework, here are some practical tips for getting in touch and living in greater alignment with the soul of who you really are.
Many of us begin this journey with an outer persona that we show the world and an inner self that we keep hidden. Sometimes we put so much focus on our outer persona that we are totally detached from the essence of who we are and what is calling our heart. You can begin to get in touch with who you really are by paying attention to where you feel out of alignment in your outer world. For example:
- Does your work feed your soul or are you just in it for the paycheck? If your work doesn’t feed you, what would you love to do if money was not part of the equation? Don’t edit or judge the dreams that you have. Consider them as significant and credible clues to who you are and what you are here to do.
- Give yourself quiet time to listen to your inner voice. Whenever you find yourself alone, reject the tendency to busy yourself. When you’re driving alone in your car, turn off the music and pay attention to what is going on inside of you. When you’re in a waiting room, don’t distract yourself with a magazine or newspaper. Just close your eyes and turn within. Don’t get hung up worrying about what other people are going to think. Get to know your inner voice. What does it dream about? What ideas might it have about you that you may be too afraid to share with anyone else? Give this voice and its instincts credibility and strive to follow it.
- Consider your life experiences and ask yourself during what events did you feel most alive. Do you have a nagging desire that raises its head every once in awhile that you just keep pushing down because you tell yourself that you’ll never have the guts to go for it? Is there a common theme in what makes you feel alive and those desires that just don’t go away? If so, this is a major clue calling your attention to what you are here to do.
- Surround yourself with people with whom you can show up authentically. Sometimes we hold on to relationships simply for the sake of history. The relationship may feel like a drain or no longer a fit, yet we don’t want to hurt that person so we continue on even when it doesn’t feel good. Yet any relationship that doesn’t give you the freedom or support to express what is in your heart limits your ability to live in fuller alignment with who you really are.
- Begin to identify with yourself as your divine self and not your bodily self. Even if you are still fuzzy about who you really are, think about that concept throughout the day. Seek to start each day off with this thought. Don’t take your divine self too seriously, though. Have fun with the idea.
Thanks for visiting. Stay tuned for more of this theme as it unfolds this week. Please feel free to email me if I can answer any questions.
My best to you,
Susan Hanshaw
susan@sanctuaryforchange.com
Digging for Meaning 