Can You Hear Me Now? Good.

Recently, a friend (AS) posted a quotation on Facebook:

"The most difficult thing for people to do is hear their own soul." - NDW.

I don't know who NDW is, but they are onto something. Some people may struggle with what exactly constitutes a soul, so for all intents and purposes (intensive purses), I'll just interpret the meaning as being your inner voice, your gut or your instinct with a spiritual twist. For those with a more religious background, it could also refer to God, the Creator or whatever you believe. I digress...

As I look around at the people in my life, many of us are going through huge transitions in our lives. Although life is about constant change, it seems that there are various points in our lives where the changes are monumental. While getting a new job or a different haircut can seem huge (and liberating), I'm speaking to the life-altering events, like changing job industries or having a baby or moving out of the country. Yet how many of us actually embrace those changes? Better yet, how many of us actually listen to our souls when we need to make those changes?

Me neither.

While we may NEED to make those changes, it is frickin' difficult! Little baby changes like redecorating our living space or taking on new responsibilities at our job can quiet what we're trying not to hear, but that only works for so long. So what do we do? We often keep making the little changes in hopes they'll add up to a big enough change that is less uncomfortable - and more importantly, less painful. And boy, does it work.

But does it really?

It depends on what kind of life you choose to live. Many people live an unconscious life, going through the motions and doing everything they should do. They studied engineering in school, so they become an engineer - even though their passion is dance or law. They've been with their partner for eleventy years so now it's time for them to get married - even though they can't stand the way their partner breathes. They buy a house because the market is good and it's (supposedly) better than renting - even though they can't really afford it or hate what they can afford. We ignore our inner voice because what it's telling us sometimes conflicts with what our friends and family (and stankin' ass Beverly) deems appropriate. And if we're people-pleasers, there's no way we want to disappoint them.

How much does that suck? Alotta bit.

See, what happens when we try to shut that loud-ass, f*^king annoying voice up is that it starts showing up in other places and causing trouble. We may start to feel depressed and/or anxious. We may start isolating ourselves because it feels like it's our loved ones who make it feel like change is impossible (or wrong or selfish). Maybe we start breaking out, suffering from insomnia, getting headaches and migraines or some other seemingly random health issue. The one thing that may stand out the most is that no matter how much we tell ourselves that our lives our great and we have everything we should want, we are hardly satisfied and cannot find peace.

Fortunately, there are also a lot of people who do listen to their souls and execute the changes necessary to follow their dreams. They disregard the naysayers and convention and do what feels true to their hearts. While they may struggle at times and question that voice, they know deep down they are doing what was meant for them. We can all think of a bunch of famous people who have done that, but I bet there are people in your circle who have done it too. Maybe it's you who has done it.

Maybe it's me who has done it...finally.

For over the past year, my spiritsoulGodinnervoiceguts have been telling me that I need to go to Paris. I don't particularly know why, but it's been a very loud and obnoxious voice (with a very heavy French accent) that I've been ignoring. I created many reasons for why I couldn't go - no money, not enough time off, I've been there before, I don't want to go alone, blah, blah, blah. But I couldn't tune it out, no matter how hard I tried. I got very still and quiet and just listened. I stopped asking why and asked why not and I bought that plane ticket to Paris. I'm excited and a little bit anxious - it feels like this may be something significant. I could be wrong, but regardless, I'm getting on that plane and for right now, that voice is a little quieter...well, at least on this topic!