Time For A Family Meeting?

When’s the last time you heard what your family had to say? Over the holidays? A wedding? Or a funeral? Well, think again it’s not that family, but your inner family. When is the last time you heard an inner voice say, “No, I can’t do that.” or “What will they think of me?” or “That will never happen for me.” Chances are these voices have been talking to you all along. These are the voices of you in different roles, at different ages, and reacting to life wearing different filters.

Before you can make peace with your inner family, understand that they have a voice for a reason. Ignoring those voices doesn’t mean they will or should go away. The voice of fear is attached to one of your inner family members and serves to keep you safe; the problem is that their perspective of what is safe is skewed by the filter with which they view the world. For example, warning children against possible dangers, such as “Don’t go with strangers.” is what the parents think is for their protection. From the child’s perspective, this warning may translate into “people I don’t know are bad for me and will hurt me.”

This childhood belief expresses itself in your adult life as don’t let anyone get too close. So, if you fear letting someone into your life, know that this fear may be your child’s-voice filter deciding how to keep you safe. Although really, anytime you make a decision out of fear, it is a betrayal of your inner truth.

Peace comes when the adult-voice filter is in charge of inner-family decisions, which are based on taking risks, experience, and evidence that no matter what happens, you’re still okay. This avenue of decision-making eliminates fear and fosters freedom, so you can move forward.

These five simple steps can help you build inner trust, quiet the voices of fear, and foster peace at all your inner-family gatherings.

1. Listen to the voice and determine from which filter it is speaking. If it is not the clear, confident, mature voice of your true spirit, rather than act upon its directions, take a moment to address the filter.

2. Stop the voice and say, “Thank you.” Why, thank you? Because this voice is operating in your best interest remember it is trying to keep you safe. The problem lies in its limited scope of understanding, so its intention to help actually hinders.

3. Tell the voice that we no longer need or hold this belief. Then explain the new truth that you do hold. This is important and is one of the keys to dissolving the fear.

4. Ask the voice to take on a new role, one that is in charge of implementing your new beliefs. Give the voice specific directions how to live these changes and look for evidence that prove they work.

5. Acknowledge that the voice has accepted this role by commenting every time it prompts you to act from the new belief. This reinforcement gives meaning to the change and demonstrates that the new belief is truly worth living.

Before you know it, the voices are calm and supportive of your life’s vision, mission, and purpose, and you are well on your way to having peaceful and happy family reunions. So, enjoy and move forward from fear to freedom.