The Loudest Voice

The loudest voice isn’t always the most important.

It’s not even the voice of the majority. It's not any more "right." 

It’s just the loudest.

The problem is that we’re conditioned through millennia of evolution to pay attention to the loudest things.

So that’s what gets our attention. Our energy.

Like a fish with the hook deeply set, pulled back and forth. The harder you fight, the deeper the hook. The more exhausted you become.

One solution is to turn off the news. But that won’t stop the inside voice. That little chatterbox in the back of your head.

You can’t shout it into submission or beat it down. If you ignore it, It’ll just find another way to grab your attention. Louder. Meaner. 

And besides, do you really want to treat that part of yourself like the enemy?

Hopefully you’re answering ‘no’ right now. But what can you do instead?

Start with listening. You don’t need to do what it says. You don’t need to let yourself be infected with the fear and anxiety.

Just listen.

I see you.
I hear you.
I care.

It’s going to be ok.

This works well for the outside voices, and even better for the inside ones.

Nick