What do you hear inside your head when you’re alone? What does your mind say when uncertainty looms? Do you hear positive encouraging words or doom and gloom?
There are two particularly loud voices that rise above the rest on a regular basis. It’s a challenge to hush these voices and not pay attention to them. If I am sick, tired, or hungry, they boom even louder.
Fear and Ego. Those two horrible cousins sidetrack my thinking and change how I behave. If I’m not paying attention, they take control of my attitude, viewpoint, and perspective. Before I know it, I’m griping about something being horribly wrong and lashing out at others with pride and arrogance.
Ego
We all have an ego. It’s the voice inside your head that defines your self-esteem or self-importance. It justifies your thoughts and actions. It is the “I”. The cognitive part of the ego allows you to self-reflect and give account for your actions. The motivating part, however, can reframe reality so that “I” am always right.
The inflated ego is loud, and incapable of some things.
Q - Who doesn’t want to be right all the time?
A - Only those mature enough to know they have things to learn from others.
The inflated ego is incapable of understanding it is not always right.
Q - Who likes to admit they are wrong?
A - Those who enjoy learning.
The inflated ego is incapable of believing it is ever wrong.
Q - Who thinks more of others than themselves?
A - Those who are humble.
The inflated ego is incapable of thinking of anyone more than the self.
My ego is loud when threatened, loud when faced with its weakness, and loud when I’m uncertain. When wounded, it tells me I’m worthless and not capable. It convinces me my worth lies in the opinions of others and compares me as inferior.
Fear
Fear is also a loud voice that is a big motivator. My fear speaks into uncertainty and lack of control. She motivates me to grab onto control when I don’t feel capable of dealing with changes.
Fear is a tasty little morsel dished up in the media on a daily, hourly, and minute-by-minute basis. It grabs our attention, and we turn our heads to face the potential threat. It’s junk food, really. Like sugar cookies decorated with delicious colors, they’re hard to resist.
Fear pokes at our natural curiosity and sense of self-preservation. We’ve grown so used to it, that the stakes must be higher and higher to get the same effect. The daily onslaught plays on repeat within our minds. We become accustomed to living with a pit in our stomachs as the world is a dangerous place. It replaces hope, excitement, and promise.
The sheer volume of fear penetrates our thinking. Without notice, it leads to small steps and careful movements.
It limits our lives.
What Will Make It Better?
How are we to deal with our inflated and vulnerable egos and the barrage of fear sifting through the airwaves of our daily existence?
Be aware.
Stop and be intentional about what information you digest. Be discerning, self-reflective, and courageous.
Pay attention to the voices. Although they may not be audible, these thoughts are tangible to your mind. To not pay attention is like having a leech attached your body, sucking blood indiscriminately. When unaware, these voices are causing damage, but you don’t even recognize it. They are ravaging your life, but you do not see.
Think about what you are thinking about.
Are you mindlessly allowing the bombardment of scary news to become “normal”? Are you not second guessing your pride as it inflates your importance beyond all others?
There is peace on the other side of these voices
Ego, when put in its place, is like a lion in a cage. You control its destructive power by keeping it in check. There is freedom when this destructive force is kept under control. You have freedom to listen and love. Others will be attracted to your humility as we all want desperately to be accepted, even though we are sometimes unlovable.
Fear, when put in its place, is like shutting a door to the cacophony of sounds that unsettles the soul. There is freedom when your mind is filled with possibilities instead of limitations. You will have freedom to act and do what you believe is best. Others will join your courageous actions, leaving their own fear behind.
Become aware, recognize their harmful effects, and change the direction of your life.