“It can be difficult to really listen to yourself as we have direct access to so much information at the touch of a button and are so easily distracted and disconnected from ourselves in such a connected world.”~Rebecca Lockwood
With so much going on in the world and technology being at our fingertips it can be easy for things to become overwhelming leaving us feeling stressed and burnt out trying to be all things and do all things.
I remember when I had my first child I created this internal perception of what was expected of me and I found it all so overwhelming. I forgot to check in with myself. Actually if I am being really honest I don’t think I even knew then what it meant to really check in with myself.
Listen to Yourself
When we tap into ourselves and really listen to yourself, to the sounds of our soul, that is when the magic happens. By listening to ourselves we can ask ourselves the questions that matter, and become more resourceful and feel more satisfied in life.
It sounds really easy right?! I know, not always.
What if you don’t know how to listen to yourself, to ‘tap’ into yourself. Where to start or what to do that will actually help you?
How to Listen to Yourself and Reduce the Outside Noise
It can be difficult to really listen to yourself as we have direct access to so much information at the touch of a button and are so easily distracted and disconnected from ourselves in such a connected world.
Ironic, I know!
“Sometimes you’ve got to be able to listen to yourself and be okay with no one else understanding.” ~Christopher Barzak
Sounds a bit crazy to think that when we live in a world that makes it so easy to connect with everyone else, we forget to connect with ourselves. How can we really be present in moments when we are so quickly distracted and led in different directions on social media or outside influence like the media?
One of the things I do and teach is to tap into the ‘three brains’. This helps to tap into ourselves within, and get different perspectives that are already inside of ourselves.
We have the Cephalic Brain (Head), the Cardiac Brain (Heart) and the Enteric Brain (Gut). These are connected through the vagus nerve, which is the largest nerve in the body running from your head to your gut.
It used to be believed that the head brain sent all of the information to the rest of the body. However, we now know after further research has been done that it is actually the other way around. The gut brain sends more information to the head brain through your vagus nerve.
The Head Brain
The head brain has 86 billion neurons and this is where language, cognition, consciousness, and creativity begins. The head brain gives meaning to things and creates our perceptions of the world and our place in it. When we are thinking in our head brain we will say things like “I think,” “I reckon,” “I understand”.
The Heart Brain
The heart brain has 40,000 neurons that can operate independently from the head brain and handles emotional processing and connections. When we are operating from our heart brain we may say things like “I feel,” “My heart says,” “Heavy/light heart”.
The Gut Brain
The gut brain has 100 million neurons and responds to challenges and danger. We may sometimes get ‘gut feelings about something’ and it determines our core sense of self. When operating from the gut brain we may say things like “It takes guts,” “my gut tells me”.
By tapping into your three brains you stop searching outside of yourself for meaning; this really gives you more space within to listen to yourself, to what you actually want deep down inside. It is really important to remember that although you have three brains, the head, the heart and the gut, unfortunately not everyone actually listens to what they have to say.
When you tap into yourself and really listen to yourself, to the sounds of your soul, that is when the magic happens. By listening to ourselves we can ask ourselves the questions that matter, and become more resourceful and feel more satisfied in life.
Simply work through each of your brains by placing your hand onto each area and think into that area. It can be a simple question such as “How am I feeling today?” or if you have a decision to make about something then you can ask the question you are thinking about.
Place your hand on your head first, and ask. Then move into your heart directing your attention now into your heart, then move your attention into your gut area and place your hand on your stomach asking again the same question.
At each point just listen to yourself from within, supporting you to tap into yourself and rather than end up in situations and wondering how you got there, you can guide and lead yourself.
Listen to yourself and become the leader of your own life.
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Rebecca Lockwood
Rebecca is a best selling author, mum to 2 girls and she teaches entrepreneurial women the art and science of how the mind works. She's been featured on Stylist Magazine, Cosmopolitan, Marie Claire, Glamour, BBC and more. You can get a free copy of Rebecca’s book The Females Handbook: Step into your Personal Potential by going to www.RebeccaLockwood.org.uk
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