It’s no wonder there is so much confusion in the world. As humans, we have two voices talking in our head at the same time. One is focused on the material world and the other has a broader perspective beyond our physical reality.

Each of us has an ego mindset which is the control center for our physical needs. The ego’s voice tells us to eat, sleep, find warmth, pay bills, socialize, and even encourages us to please others. This part of our mind is heavily influenced by our brain functioning, hormones, and memories of past experiences. It learns how to keep us safe by analyzing previous events and their outcomes, and then warns us when it perceives that we are in danger. We may not actually be in danger, but if it thinks we are, it will send out fear signals.

The ego’s words elicit anxiety, anger, frustration and any number of other uncomfortable feelings, as well as, pleasure sensations. It tries to get our attention in order to get its needs met. The ego’s voice is loud and persistent because it believes that it is responsible for our survival.  If we die, it dies. Many of us identify with our ego and do not recognize that it is not who we really are.

The other voice comes from our inner being or spirit. Its wisdom  originates from a place beyond time and space. We often refer to this voice as our intuition. Its messages are subtle, yet profound. Our inner being sees possibilities that our ego cannot perceive. The ego focuses on the past and brings it into our present moment. Our spirit is in the present moment and encourages us to see a positive future.

Our spirit is the foundation of our true self and its gentle whisper is a reminder that we are not our ego. Our inner self has knowledge of why we came here and what we intended to do. It talks to us about kindness toward ourselves and others, and nudges us to see a bigger picture of the events that are unfolding in our lives. It sees every day as an adventure. Our spirit knows that life is eternal, so its main focus is on love, not survival.

These two internal voices have been with us since childhood. One speaks to us of conflict, competition for resources, and struggle. The other calls us to be loving, cooperative, and optimistic.  Our well-being does not depend on shutting down or denying our ego’s needs. We can appreciate that our ego has a purpose in reminding us to care for our physical selves. But we can choose which voice has the final say.  The one we choose determines how we live our life and makes all the difference in the quality of our experiences here. Holding an intention to focus on the loving messages that come from our spirit will assure a more balanced life.  Listening to our quiet inner voice is the only way for us to access prosperity, deep wisdom, and lasting peace.

Let’s demystify the conversation about beliefs. A belief is simply a thought that has gathered momentum as a result of allowing it to percolate within our minds. The more we think about something, the more likely it is we will begin to believe it. Why? Because as we give our attention to a thought, it creates an energy that takes on a life of its own. The thought that we are habitually holding onto starts to shift our perspective, so that what we are thinking influences what we are seeing. Our shift in perception causes us to begin to notice evidence of our new belief in the world around us. This creates a cycle of belief/evidence/belief/evidence. We may point to something that seems to prove our belief and say “There it is again!”. Yet we often forget that the cycle started with our original thought. It doesn’t  matter whether that thought was accurate or not. It still becomes internalizes as a belief if we have held onto it long enough. Others with contradicting perspectives will find evidence of their beliefs, as well.

It is the same for all kinds of beliefs – those that we want and those that we don’t want. Focusing on disturbing thoughts or images will produce emotions that feel bad. If we allow ourselves to turn our attention to undesired aspects of our lives, then we are more likely to bring those unwanted things into our experience. Sometimes we try to get to a better feeling place by analyzing the unwanted thoughts, dissecting every aspect of our problematic beliefs. But we really can’t get to where we want to go from there. It is much like quicksand… the more we struggle, the more we sink. In my experience, nothing in the world gets better by focusing on what we don’t want to happen.

Many of us are often so stress that we barely notice when our inner beings are guiding us away from our faulty perceptions. But by tuning in, we can choose to release thoughts or images that hurt when we think about them. Sending love to  troublesome beliefs, invites  new perspectives. The situations and events that challenge us can morph into experiences that feel better. When we shift our perceptions, we change how we show up in the world, and situations often improve. Our reality transforms in response to our new beliefs. But it takes our strong intention to focus on good feeling thoughts and a commitment to do the work, that makes that happen.

The process of changing a belief is straightforward. We hold a thought in our mind and then check into our internal guidance , our emotions, to see if we have a resonance with that thought. If it feels good, then we can choose to continue to focus on that image, impression, or perspective.  By holding onto a good feeling thought, we begin to build an energetic momentum. It only takes a minute or two. When a particular thought feels disturbing, we can use our imagination to search for something better, like giving someone the benefit of the doubt or forgiving ourselves or others. When we are ready to move on to another thought, the process is the same. We check each belief out with our internal guidance to see if it feels good. That is the easiest way to change our beliefs, and subsequently, change our life experiences.

As with any skill that we want to master, it’s necessary put in the effort to shift our focused attention and to develop the “muscles” of our mind. It requires a thought-by-thought practice, but it can reap big results over time. We have much more power than we realize. We can choose our thoughts and perceptions. We can shift our beliefs and transform our lives. We have the power to be who we want to be in the world. And we can be the change that we want to see in the world.

When someone says, “You inspire me,” the statement is an affirmation of how we have handled ourselves in the midst of the struggles and triumphs of our lives. To inspire someone is to uplift them…to facilitate a shift to a brighter or broader perspective. That shift happens because something in us reminds them of their own  inner nature. We are the impetus for that person to connect with their own powerful spirit. Such inspiration is a gift that costs us nothing to give, yet is of immeasurable value to others.

Living true to our purpose, often inspire others to do the same. When we allow creativity to flow through us, we remind those around us that they are creative beings, as well, with ideas and ways of seeing the world that are unique to them. We become the catalyst for them to tune into their inner gifts, their unexpressed wisdom, and their untapped resources. We encourage them to live “in-spirit” with the abundance of their own inner essence. So the only authentic way of inspiring someone is to simply model being in spirit ourselves. Living in alignment with our spiritual nature is the goal. Inspiring others is the effect. When we focus on living true to ourselves, the rest takes care of itself.

Does our ability to prosper depend on people or events outside of ourselves? In most cases people would agree that it does. But believing that others hold our fate in their hands, denies our innate freedom. Our natural response then is to feel trapped. Feeling fear, anger, resentment, or frustration is an indication that we are holding onto thoughts that our inner being knows is not true. It is this false story that we tell ourselves that causes the emotional pain. Does it make sense that brilliant Source energies that have created  the entire Universe and continue to flow through us and all living things, would have only a handful of options to support us? Of course not. The limitations exist only in our own minds.

No one has the ability to withhold our good from us. If a channel of funding goes away, it doesn’t have to affect our prosperity unless we focus our attention on it and use it as an excuse to shut down our creativity and ingenuity. Time after time we read stories of individuals who rise above their seemingly limited circumstances. How do they do that? They believe in themselves. And they know the Universe has their back.

To access our abundance we need to remember we are loved and that the ability to prosper is within us. As we focus our attention more and more on the good that is already flowing to us, a myriad of possibilities opens up in our lives. Abundance flows to us when we allow ourselves to receive such blessings as: inspiration, guidance, and assistance.

Many years ago, I was feeling the pressure of too much money going out and not enough money coming in. It was during the holidays, and we had many gifts to buy for family and friends. At that point I was inspired to practice the mantra, “I am the daughter of a King.” Every time I felt the stress of not enough money, I would repeat to myself, “I am the daughter of a King” until I felt relief. A part of me, my inner being, knows that I am created from spiritual energy more powerful than any financial situation I might find myself in. Tapping into the knowledge that I am spiritually connected to Source energy, shifted my limited mindset. With this lighter perspective, the possibilities for abundance expanded. On Christmas morning, our family received a generous gift that allowed us to pay for all the presents that we gave away that year.

What did I learn from the experience? That abundance is our inheritance. It  doesn’t play favorites. It is for each one of us. Abundance doesn’t flow to those who want it or need it. It flows to those who are open to it. And to be open, we have to believe we are worthy of it. That’s the secret. We need to really feel our worthiness. We are the sons and daughters of a King… And the Universe always has our back.

Ever notice how eager a young child is to master new skills? An infant is motivated to learn from a very early age how to turnover, crawl, walk, hold a bottle, drink from a cup. Often a child is intensely focused on developing skills towards independence… not for a monetary reward or to get external approval, but for a personal sense of accomplishment. A well-intended adult trying to assist may be rebuffed by the child who is intent on doing it himself.

The drive toward mastery is a powerful innate force within all of us. The need to learn and develop new behaviors and skills is built into our DNA. Acquiring survival skills is the key to the continuation of the human race. Beyond the physical need to survive; however, there is another even more compelling reason why we strive to excel. We are born to push through our perceived boundaries – to stretch beyond our limitations because we want to know who we are and what we are capable of accomplishing. The thrill of surpassing our previous set point in a particular field of focus is what compels athletes, scientists, artists, and every person on the planet.

Our desire for freedom from self-imposed limitations springs forth from our most elemental self, our spiritual core. Our essential nature is unbounded; so we continually long to experience that same exhilaration and joy in our daily lives. Some people choose physical challenges, some mental challenges, and some learn to transcend the human body to explore the nonphysical realms. All are attempts to align with our Spirit in a way that feels deeply satisfying and fulfilling. The drive toward growth and mastery are the result of undeniable internal forces that move the human race forward toward its own evolution and expansion. And the desire for freedom is at the basis of all of this purposeful activity.

We are born to be free. We can suppress this desire, but we can’t extinguish it. We can deny it, but it will eventually surface as an even stronger need to be expressed and experienced. Freedom is our nature, our biology, our essence. It is who we are and who we will always be. We will forever be challenging ourselves to expand beyond our limitations of mind and body. We must be free to choose and to be more than we were the day before. It is our destiny.