How to Figure Out What You Want: Learning to Listen to Your Soul

Learning to listen to the hints from soul is one of the greatest gifts you can give yourself, but how do you know if it IS a hint from your soul? What if you’re just hearing your ego rearing its little head in a new way?

The ability to listen to hints from your soul is much like a muscle, and it takes practice to develop. First you need to put yourself into situations where your soul can speak to you, and then you need to learn to recognize the voice as it speaks to you. The nice thing about learning the process is that you won’t have to be clunked over the head with a message time and again once you learn how to hear it the first time!

You’ve probably already recognized, at least subconsciously, that your soul speaks in quiet, undistracted moments: Right when you’re falling asleep, or right before you get up in the morning. In the shower. When you’re out for run, or maybe when you’re gardening. Those are the times you’ve received surprising solutions to a problem that’s been bothering you: Maybe you’ve come up with the new marketing idea for your company, or the theme for a paper you need to write. Regardless, you’ve probably experienced ideas coming to you spontaneously and unexpectedly.

How do you nurture your soul’s ability to communicate with you? Now that you recognize that your soul has helped you at other times, how do you get help with figuring out what you want?

Here are a few suggestions:

1. Don’t wake up and go to sleep by checking Facebook, your email, etc. Let your mind and soul have a few moments of peace before allowing the day to invade.

2. Give your soul space throughout the day to speak to you. A constant flurry of activity isn’t good for you for a number of reasons: It causes stresses AND you squash your soul’s voice. Carve out quiet time here and there to listen: Try driving without music, taking a walk during lunch, or even escaping to the restroom for a few moments of silence.

3. Recognize that silence is beautiful. Embrace silence, don’t fear it. Our world is filled with electronic devices: TVs blare nonstop at airports. Music fills our elevators. Video has replaced reading. Our souls crave silence so they can be heard. Give it to them.

4. Start using your soul muscle. Ask for guidance about what to get your spouse for a birthday gift, or which route to take to work. Figuring out what you want to do with your life probably seems like a large task, so practice on small decisions so you gain confidence. Ask for guidance, then make sure you’ve given your soul the space to speak.

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5. Act on the hints you receive. Not sure why you’re receiving a message to take the long way to work? Or to park in the back corner of the parking lot instead of in your regular spot? You may never know why. Just listen and do it. Every once in a while you will find out the reason why, and you’ll be grateful you listened. Maybe you would have had an accident had you driven your regular route, or maybe (and far less dramatic) construction work would have dirtied your car. Learning to trust is part of the process.

6. Start keeping a journal, either written or recorded, to track how things are going. There’s nothing like looking back at a month of avoiding traffic jams on the way to work to help you realize that your soul is smart! Journaling also helps you explore your own thoughts and unearth more things to ask your soul about. I personally enjoy a written journal since it embraces silence, but writing doesn’t come naturally to everyone, so a recorded journal will work, too.

7. Once you’re comfortable with the process, ask for guidance with what to do with your life. If you’re unhappy with where you are now, chances are your soul has been waiting to pounce on an opportunity to help you! Listen to the hints you receive, and take small steps in the direction your soul guides you. Do you feel as though you should be a writer? Write a page a day. Do you want to be a computer programmer? Look into taking courses.

Should you quit your job? Probably not. You’re still new at this, and you’re still developing your soul muscle. Listen, take a few steps, and keep listening. You’ll likely get redirected again and again as your ability to listen and act continues to grow.

I’d love to hear from you about how you’ve learned to listen to your soul. Tell me about it below!

(For the first part in this series, How to Figure Out What You Want: Tap Into the Smart Part of You, go here. Check back soon for the next article on the perils of not listening!)

Do you want to learn more about your soul’s path? The Akashic Records are a great source of wisdom about your life and your soul’s path. Lisa Barnett is a friend (a real friend, not just an internet-marketing friend!) who teaches classes and offers Akashic Records readings. Contact her here and tell her I sent you.