When we were little kids, we got a lot of different commands from our parents. “Baby steps,” as how they called it. We were told to “Walk!” while they were supporting our hips, to “Close-open!” our hands, and to play “Peeak-a-boo!” by putting our hands over our eyes and then removing them, as though trying to scare them but ended up looking like a cute, little monster, among many others. Our parents, of course, made all the decisions for us then. It was their decision whether we would eat breakfast, whether we would take a bath, or whether we would go to school.
Basically, we grew up in the concept of having to follow orders from our parents for us to grow, step by step. But we are not always kids. We eventually grow up and our thinking skills develop. It is then when we already become aware about the many forces surrounding us that may or may not affect the decisions that we make for ourselves.
As we grow older, it becomes harder and harder for us to make decisions because of so many possible choices laid out in front of us. There are people whose being dependent to their parents’ decisions still matter a lot, and there are some who have already become matured enough to make decisions for themselves. Thus, not all people enjoy making decisions when, in fact, it has to be done by each and every one of us in order to live a life where regrets are absent.
So how do we find our own voice? Fortunately, there are two easy steps we could follow:
1. Check if you are hearing yourself clearly.
In order for you to make decisions for yourself, you have to make sure that you are hearing what your intuition is saying. Hearing, after all, is a prerequisite to listening. And listening to yourself, let alone hearing yourself, is very important for you when you are making decisions. Sure, people around you would always have something to comment on whatever it is that you are thinking or going through, but never allow your own reasoning to be buried by theirs.
2. Listen to theirs, but follow only yours.
Hearing other people’s comments on matters is just about inevitable. In every decision-making situation, they will always be there whether you like it or not. You can opt to listen to them, but make sure that at the end of the day, your decision is still the one that would weigh more.
Hearing and listening to yourself do not just help you to know your decisions because they also assist you in actually making decisions—from the pettiest (“What pair of shoes will I wear today?”) to the life-changing (“What career path should I take?”). That’s how crucial it is for you to know how to hear and listen to your own intuition. Always remember that you can listen to what others are saying, but never forget to follow what your heart’s desires are.
