Listening

I know I have always had  an inner voice that speaks to me. For many years I would hear the inner messages and doubt them. There were times I believed my brilliant mind could somehow come up with answers that would solve inner conflicts. Today I find humor in that illusion.

For the past three years I have tried to leave my hometown. I would travel temporarily and return home, wishing I was somewhere else. Each time I would think I just need to leave,but something else would present itself that would keep me there. Sometimes it was a wonderful yoga teacher, a political activist group, a great hiking location, wonderful art galleries…the list went on and on.

I cannot tell you a specific event occurred that was the push to leave except I  amped up my inner listening when in a period of six weeks I repeatedly heard in various conversations with strangers and friends the name of a certain city. I thought hmmmm…what is this about? The Universe had my attention. I knew nothing much about the city that kept coming up except it was a location from a TV series I used to watch in the 1960’s. As so often in my mystical life, amazing turns of events propelled me to take action. I re-located, at least for the temporary time to this city. Really,I know all situations, places,people, jobs, challenges, or joys are temporary!

There have been times in my life that I have moved, made decisions, entered various new beginnings that it took months even years for me to see I truly was being led to said decision. Call it destiny, fate, or as my linear thinking friends call it “coincidence”, I have ended up exactly in the right place at the right time! This move and decision to come to the city where I am has been validated in an explosion of a multitude of confirmations in just 10 days! Actually the first three days confirmed it was one of the best decisions of my life!

Reflecting on this experience I began thinking how so many do not listen to their inner messages. Often I observe people struggling to meet their challenges and conflicts, wanting to change yet staying stuck in their proverbial ruts. If we each have inner guidance that comes to us in the forms of messages delivered to our brains, why do we not listen? Why do we continue to stay in situations that are not affording us happiness? Is it because we are afraid to make a change? Is it out of guilt and obligation that we do not follow our hearts’ desires? Is it because we are so sure we will make a mistake that we cannot live with? Is it because we place more value on listening more to the opinions of others that contradict our own inner guidance?

Based on my own experiences, I can 100% tell you that I would rather take the risk to listen to my gut and trust my inner instincts than to always wonder what could I have experienced if I had only listened not only to my inner voice but also to the messages of my body for they both work together in a holistic way offering truth.

What is the worst thing that can happen if you LISTEN?