Blog #697: Two Voices. Two Choices.

Same day.
Same time.
Same person.

BUT…

Two very different conversations were dueling.

______

The scene…

It was 4:30 p.m. on a tough Monday.
It had been an extra challenging day.

There was the expected tough stuff.
There was the unexpected tough stuff.

And this is where the dueling self-talk began.

______

“Should I exercise?”

Voice #1…

“You don’t feel like exercising…so don’t! You’re tired. Jump in the Jacuzzi. Pop a beer. Watch recorded episodes of Station 19. You deserve a timeout!”

Voice #1 loves to point to the couch.

But unless you’ve been listening to Voice #1 so long that Voice #2 has been permanently muted, Voice #2 will find its way into the conversation.

Voice #2…

“Get out the door! Once you start walking, you’ll pick up steam. Walk for 30 minutes. Breathe. Move your legs. End the day with a success!”

This dueling conversation?

I know it well.

It was me juggling the two voices and weighing their merits.

______

Absolutely…

We could bail on opportunities that push us too hard or make us feel too uncomfortable, but is regularly choosing the “easy” how we want to remember having lived our life?

When foreign ideas, out-of-the-comfort-zone-pushing adventures, and even simple daily thoughts like exercising show their face, Voice #1’s soothing whisper shows up…too.

“It’ll be TOO much. It’ll be TOO hard. It’ll be TOO painful.”

But thank goodness there’s a Voice #2…TOO.

“It’ll be TOO much mediocrity if I don’t.”

______

Feeling disappointed with yourself lately?

Take note of which Voice runs your show.

My hopeful goal?

“Be best friends with the Voice I want to BE.”

I feel better about me when I do.

S.

(Audio version)