Ego vs Higher Self…this is one of the most common battles we as humans face on a daily basis! I had a morning last week where I woke up feeling tired and sluggish. It was cold, wet, and dark outside, and it would have been so easy to stay in bed!

Ego (fear) said in one ear:

You’re tired, you work so hard, you deserve a rest!
It’s cold and wet outside, and so cosy and warm in bed!
Just go to the gym tomorrow, it’s fine
Listen to your body, just sleep in…

Higher Self (love) said in the other ear:

You’ll feel a million times better for getting up and going to the gym!
Going for a run will clear your head!
You’ll feel so much worse for NOT going to the gym. You’ll feel sluggish and be upset at yourself if you don’t go.
Gym floods your body with oxygen and endorphins and you LOVE it!
DO IT!

What did I do?

I went to the gym. Ran 5km on the treadmill while it rained outside. I listened to an inspiring poddy, and felt incredible afterwards! The post-workout high was amazing, but the fact I conquered my ego in that moment felt even better!

Automatic mode

If we are not consciously aware of our thoughts, we tend to slip automatically into whatever mode we are used to. For example, if you grew up in an environment that was unsafe or unstable, or you had parents who were not emotionally or physically available it might be very hard to tune into your Higher Self. Additionally, if your parents or caretakers suffered mental health conditions like anxiety, depression, OCD, ADHD, bipolar, were narcissistic, or anything else, most likely your Ego got a workout in keeping you safe. During these times your Ego is helping you to survive, and your nervous system will have become accustomed to being switched on a lot of the time.

Learning unconsciously from your parents

However, you grew up in a wonderful family environment, with loving parents who took responsibility for their own emotions, chances are you will be able to connect with your intuition and higher Self more easily. This doesn’t mean it’s easy all the time, as there are still challenges in staying mindful of your thoughts, and practicing self-discipline. However, if you grew up with positive role models, of course this can make it a bit easier.

Behaviours can be changed

The good thing is that these are all learned behaviours, so regardless of your childhood upbringing, if you can learn a behaviour, you can most definitely unlearn it and change it! It takes practice, self-discipline, and an inner drive to change, but it absolutely can be done. And interestingly, it’s often those who have struggled in their childhood or upbringing that have more drive and determination to follow through and make changes.

Catching your thoughts

The key is to become more consciously aware of your thoughts, so whenever an Ego-based thought arises, you can tune into it quickly. Only when you become aware of your thoughts, can you make a conscious decision to change them! The more you practice catching your thoughts and making conscious decisions, the easier it will get.