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Writer's pictureJerry L. Burrell

Itopia, Youtopia!

Imagine a world where everyone got along. Where they smiled at one another, encouraged each other, shared with each other, loved each other and wanted and worked for good for everyone. That would be a great place to live.


Now imagine your head as a place where all the different voices got along. Where they smiled at one another, shared with each other, loved each other and wanted good for everyone and worked toward everyone receiving good. That would be an even greater place to live.


I can only speak for myself here and I speak from experience about the many motivations (voices) that I deal with all the time. From small choices to big important decisions, I sometimes feel like I've got a committee in my head and sometimes they all get along and sometimes they don't.


For instance, earlier today, after walking my dogs, I was faced with:

doing a little work-out and riding my bike

or doing some writing and returning emails

or taking a nap because I did not get much sleep last night.


The voice that wanted me to work-out and ride reminded me how great I would feel after exercise and how my writing might even be more focused after allowing my subconscious to sort out an outline while I ride.


The voice that wanted me to write reminded me how important my writing was and for that reason I should make it a priority. Then the voice squirted me with a little guilt from a spray bottle he had hooked to his belt loop.


The voice that thought taking a nap was a smart move reminded me how much energy I would have afterward and how much I could get done with that energy. One of the other voices jumped in with a reminder about how last time I took a nap, I woke up even more tired and did not have an abundance of energy as Nap voice suggested I would.


Another voice came out of nowhere and reminded me that painting the fence was on my list of things to do and how could I have forgotten about it. "You've been putting it off for quite some time and it's about time you got it done" - guilt spray, guilt spray.


And then yet another voice popped into the conference like a zoom-bomber and reminded me that I had not yet eaten breakfast and he must have clicked on the "share screen" button because up popped some imagery of a bowl of fruit with pecans and yogurt and then an ice cold glass of OJ poured over Honey Bunches of Oats cereal. I began to salivate.


Call your mom said yet another voice.


Call Zeus!


Call Teri!


Call Steve!


I walked in the house and fixed a bowl of cereal and decided to prepare the fence for painting after I finished eating.


I am exaggerating only a little bit with this description of the different voices clamoring for their department to be prioritized. They wanted attention and they offered up nudges for why they should get it.


What if all of the voices were in alignment. I've experienced that before. It is when I am operating as if on a mission with purpose and clarity about what needs to be done. I yearn for more of that and as I continue to re-invent myself and evolve in purpose I am getting a little bit more of it voice by voice.


silouette of people with arms raised with violet sky
The voices in my head. Photo by Gioavana Thayane on Unsplash

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