6 Effective Ways How To Listen To Yourself

Wondering how to listen to yourself while stuck in the chaos of life? Well, here are some simple steps to begin with, and you’ll soon realize the big difference it’ll make.

“What does my body want?”

“What is my soul seeking?”

“Am I at peace with myself?”

“Am I happy with whatever I’m choosing to do?”

These are some questions that we often ignore. Stuck in the hustle and bustle of our daily lives, we are almost forgetting to listen to our inner voice.

A few months back, I opted for a wellness workshop where I had to do a prompt-writing exercise.

In that, I was asked to think of my body, my mind, and my soul to be three different people (yeah, it was a personification exercise) and write a conversation between them.

I had 10 minutes to write and didn’t even realize when time flew.

By the end of it, I had tears rolling down my cheeks and I kept wondering how three different people are struggling with an existential crisis, and that’s what I am!

It was heart-breaking. As I listened to myself for the first time, my body felt a gush of energy while my mind was fatigued and my soul was dissatisfied.

It was hard for me to sink in all those emotions, but slowly I realized the importance of listening to my inner self.

If you’re wondering about this, here’s how you can listen to yourself:

1. Create a space where you can calmly sit for sometime.

Yeah, that’s what we usually call ‘Me Time’. Find a cozy corner in your room, declutter that space, light a candle and play some soothing instrumental music (if you like that).

Keep your phone away, and try to bring all your consciousness to the present.

No, I’m not asking you to meditate – but, just sit quietly. One by one, think of the things that are bothering you, and if they are really worth worrying for.

Try and set priorities in your mind, and ignore all that’s not required. Stop dwelling over things that aren’t in your control.

Incorporate more quiet time into your daily routine to just be in the present and focus on your instincts, and that will make all the difference.

2. Listen to your body, it’s saying something!

Going out for parties, staying up till late for work, binge-watching Netflix series and eating junk can surely be fun, but sometimes, your body might not be in sync with that.

Pause, and listen to what your body is saying. Digestive problems, fatigue, headache, etc are mere ways in which our body gives us a signal that it’s not feeling fine – and that’s when we need to pay attention to what message it’s trying to convey.

Be mindful of what you are eating (yeah, cheat meals are totally allowed!), add a lot of greens to your diet and drink enough water to keep yourself well hydrated. Remember that a healthy body nourishes a happy soul.

3. Don’t let your mind rule the game.

Sometimes, it’s important to listen to your heart. The mind might be throwing lights on logical and practical things, but doing what the heart wants can be more satisfying.

If you struggle to make a decision at any point in time, listen to your gut feelings. Sometimes, it’s not about being right or wrong, but choosing what makes you happy.

Try to delete unnecessary information from your mind, so that it doesn’t lead you to a sensory overload!

Bank on your emotions, rather than using reasons and the logic of the intellect. 

4. Indulge in self-care activities.

Taking care of yourself is yet another way of being mindful towards your existence.

Beyond physical and emotional well-being, self-care often paves the way for spiritual wellness – which is extremely important in today’s date, when we are hustling with life and dealing with a pandemic.

Get that cup of coffee, sit at your balcony watching the sunset, talk to a friend who cheers you up, cook your favorite meal – these are little things that you can do for yourself. 

5. Be mindful while you talk.

Often, we say things without thinking much. It might not always be right, and can hurt others even if our intentions aren’t so.

When you talk to someone, make sure you listen to yourself. Be thoughtful about the words that are flowing out of your mouth, because once gone, you can’t take them back.

Being aware of your thoughts will always fetch clarity to your speech. Before saying something, think how you’d have felt if someone else said the same to you.

Thus, listening to your inner self will help you to judge yourself in better lights.

6. Have a conversation with your confusions.

Think of your confusions and dilemmas as another person, and start a dialogue. If you can’t do that in your mind, you can write or make a voice note.

Pinpoint all those matters that are bothering you, or stopping you from moving ahead, or draining out all your emotional energy.

See if they are really worthy of so much attention, or are you just dragging them in your mind?

Unload the pressure, and choose what you feel right at this moment. If you feel like ditching work and taking a nap – there’s nothing wrong in it. Know that it’s what you need at this time. 

While it might seem easy to listen to your inner voice, let me assure you that it would need enough practice.

But when you’ll excel in this, you’ll realize that the rewards for listening to your own self are huge!

Follow us on Instagram for more self-care and productivity tips.

[optin-monster slug=”ofzgfgq5ljbqtukramsl”]