Listen to the voice on your right shoulder!

As this year comes to an end, it is a good time to reflect back in order to see where changes, improvements or corrections should take place.  Looking back at your successes and your failures is a great way to chart a new course for improvement in your personal and professional life.

I have made it a habit to do that very thing at the end of each year and in doing so, discovered that there are two voices that are constantly talking to me.  The one voice sits on my right shoulder.  (I call him the "right voice" because he is on my right side.  It is easy for me to remember that way.)  Then there is the voice that is on my left.  I want to introduce you to these two voices so that you can see how they speak to me and how these same voices may be speaking to you.

The guy that sits on my right shoulder and talks to me is my friend.  He is the one who encourages me.  He says things like, "You can do it!"  "You are getting better."  "Sure you made a mistake last time, but you can learn from your mistake and do better next time."  "You are a good person."  "You have a good heart." "You care about others."  "You are making progress."  All of those wonderful, encouraging remarks come from the voice on my right shoulder.

The voice on my left speaks to me as well.  He is the voice that tries to fill me with negative thoughts, shame and disappointment.  He speaks loud and clear and his voice is an everyday occurrence.  He says things to me like, "You are no good."  "You never should have done that."  "You made a mistake."  "You are a bad person."  "You went through a divorce so who are you to tell anybody how to have a relationship?"  "You are a real loser."  "You are not a very smart person." 

You didn't know that about me, did you?  You did not know that I hear voices!  The amazing thing is that if I could sit down with you face to face, you would tell me that you hear those same two voices.  You hear the "right" voice that tells you to keep trying, to keep going, to learn from your mistakes.  It says that life is getting better, that you are a good person and you do have a good heart.  You would also tell me that you hear the other voice, the one on the "left" side that tells you to give up and quit. It says that things are horrible, that relationships stink, and that there is no happiness or fun for you in this life. 

The wonderful thing is that which voice we listen to is up to you and me.  We decide which voice we want to follow.  While I cannot make the guy on my left shoulder be quiet, I do not have to listen to him.  I do not have to obey him and I do not have to believe what he is telling me.  I am free to choose to listen to the guy on the right. 

Now, a word of caution is necessary.  Sometimes the guy on the left is actually right.  Sometimes I do mess up and boy, does he enjoy when that happens!  He laughs and beats me up pretty badly for a while.  But, once again, the guy on the right shoulder is there.  He comes to my rescue and encourages me to learn from my mistakes and to realize that I am not perfect.  Even though I fail at times, I can learn from mistakes I make and grow from them in order to be a better person. 

Here at the end of the year, I want to encourage you to take a fearless inventory of where you are.  Look at your strengths and weaknesses.  Look at the people in your life.  Get a notepad and write down everything the guy on your right shoulder has been speaking to you this year.  Then on a separate sheet of paper write down all of the negative, hurtful things the guy on your left shoulder has been speaking to you.  Look them over and decide that next year you are going to listen and obey the voice on your right shoulder. 

When the voice on your left shoulder speaks to you, take a moment to evaluate what he's saying.  Take any truth out of it that you can and cast his negative, bitter spirit away from you.  It does you no good!  However, the voice on the right will always be with you to guide, encourage, uplift and direct you.  His voice will be the voice of faith, hope and love.  It will be the one that will guide you through the days to come in all that you do.

Have a Happy New Year - the best for you is still in the future!

This information is provided in congruence with Personality Insights USA.