Friend or Foe? Which Inner Voice To Trust...

This day and age, our minds are often so busy, flooded with thoughts day and night. At times those thoughts are prayers, requests, or even pleas to our higher power, desperate for answers to our questions or for direction in our lives. Similarly, we often have thoughts enter our mind that might be perceived as answers to those questions, or guidance for where we are headed in our lives. But if you're like most of us, those "answers" are often abundant, overwhelming, confusing, and even contradictory. Our minds are often like Google - we ask a question and get every answer from "you are perfectly fine and nothing's wrong," to "you have cancer and are dying." So how do we know when to trust those thoughts? When is our inner voice something to be followed or ignored?

Not every thought that pops into your head is intuition. Our mind is very powerful and can be influenced by many things happening within and around us. Sometimes those messages are indeed from a trusted and true higher source, such as God, the Universe, angels, spirit guides, or our Truest Self, and are directly us on the path towards our highest good. But sometimes that's not the case, and our mind has created a false message, often stemming from fear, doubt, or some other negative source or spiritual enemy. This can leave us constantly questioning those voices in our head, not sure which ones to follow.

What can we do to know which is which? When deciphering whether the messages we receive in our minds should be trusted or disregarded, there is a simple test to help you determine their validity. It essentially involves studying the tone of the message, and whether you would characterize it as negative or positive. This can be tricky, because our minds can be very good at disguising our thoughts one way or another. But asking yourself the questions below can be a useful tool. If you find that the foundation is rooted in negativity, it is most likely a false message from a source other than God, the Universe, our Truest Self, etc. Use the following questions to help you determine its origin...

• Does the message discourage you and fill you with self doubt?

• Does it contribute to your struggle with self-esteem?

• Does it cause you to question your abilities, strength, character, value, or worth?

• Is it feeding fear, anxiety, or guilt within you?

• Is it telling you that you aren't good enough, smart enough, liked enough, attractive enough, or just not enough in general?

• Is it telling you that your dreams are too big? Your goals unreachable? Your desires unattainable?

• Does it cause you to obsess or worry? Does it lead to intrusive thoughts?

• Does it speaking fears, rather than actual facts? Is it deceitful?

• Is it selfish, self-centered, or prideful?

• Is it accusatory? Does it criticize?

• Does it demand perfection rather than progress?

• Is it condemning? Even frightening?

• Does it cause confusion and uncertainty, rather than peace and clarity?

• Does it condone compromising your values or beliefs?

• Does it lead you away from your truest self?

If you answered "yes" to the questions above, then the voice and message you are hearing is not to be trusted. When thoughts are contradictory to your beliefs and values, or are not aligned with positivity or your highest good, be weary. If you answered "no", perhaps the message has a different tone - one that is more positive and peaceful. Think about the message again and ask yourself the following questions:

• First and foremost, is it rooted in love?

• Is it direct and clear, leading to a sense of calm and peace?

• Is the message gentle and reassuring?

• Is it encouraging you?

• Does it make you feel supported and understood?

• Is it filled with compassion and kindness?

• Does it inspire hope or faith?

• Does it promote fairness and justice?

• Does it nurture a sense of service, rather than only looking out for number one?

• Does it encourage self-growth, rather than holding you back?

• Does it applaud self-care and treating yourself with the love and care of a beloved child of God and the Universe?

• Is it pointing you in the direction of love, gratitude, generosity, forgiveness?

• Does it let you know you messed up without condemning or admonishing, like a parent would lovingly do with their child?

• Does it direct you towards a different action or path when needed, but without berating or ridiculing you?

• Is it in agreement with your truest and strongest sense of self?

Answering "yes" to the questions above mean that the message is in your best interest, serving your highest good, and can be trusted.

Be mindful that sometimes voices and thoughts don't just come from our inner self. We are often exposed and subjected to messages from external sources as well. For example, we spend countless hours scrolling through social media and using the material projected to us through posts, images, and literal "influencers" to help answer our questions or direct our actions. Sometimes we may rely too heavily on the professionals or "subject matter experts" that broadcast via the news or other television content. In our daily lives, think about how often we seek the advice or opinions from other people. While our friends and family often have the best of intentions, they are still human and fallible, and might not always provide the best guidance that aligns with your Truest Self. Be mindful of advice or opinions received from outside sources, and put those messages to the same test above to determine which guidance is trustworthy.

When we determine the root of messages we receive in our minds, hearts, and lives, we can learn to ignore those that don't serve our highest good, and trust those that point us in the direction of love and light.