Ego or Higher Self: Whos Behind Your Decisions?

When you make a decision, you hope it is ultimately one that supports your highest interests and that leads you toward greater joy, so it is important to consider what part of you is offering you your options, so you can make your choice based on sound advice and come to a conclusion that takes you in the direction you want to go! There are two primary sources of input in any such decision-making process: your "Higher Self" and your ego.

Your Higher Self operates from the place of all knowing, because it is perfectly interfaced with Source, the font of wisdom and repository of all knowledge. Your ego, however, operates from finite information, gathering its data from the world it can observe and measure-it doesn't have access to the repository of all knowledge because it is a maverick entity who has chosen to be separate, and operate without full interface with Source.

Your Higher Self always has your role as an integral part of the Whole of Creation in mind, and guides you to your highest possibilities based on that. Your ego sees you as a stand-alone entity and thus sees everything in those terms. Because you truly are fully woven into the fabric of Creation, anything that affects you affects everything else, and anything that affects everything else, affects you. Your Higher Self also has the advantage of not being time-bound-it can see the past, present and future all at once. Your ego can only remember the past and guess about the future. When you're making a decision that you want to serve you going forward, being advised by an entity that can see the future is a distinct advantage!

The decisions your Higher Self steers you toward are always going to lead you in the direction of more Love, greater harmony, authentic ease, and true joy. Though the ego promises these desirable things, it simply cannot deliver them. It is not equipped to. It is important to recognize that your ego is the puppet of the reptilian brain, the reactive don't-think-just-do-it part of you that is in charge of physical survival. It doesn't need a long view-its job is to protect your physical body at the moment of threat. The ego, as the psychological overlay for the reptilian brain, is equally short-sighted, territorial, greedy, fearful, and status-motivated, though it masquerades as being able to offer you all that your Higher Self does. If authentic ease, joy, harmony and Love are what you would like to move toward, gravitating to the beckoning of the fearful ego will not get you there!

So how do you differentiate between these two sources of input as you contemplate a decision? Pay attention to your thoughts. If they are fear-motivated, it's your ego. If they are greedy, it's your ego. If they are status-oriented, its your ego. If they are territorial, it's your ego. But if they are fearless, expansive, generous, compassionate, inclusive and harmonious, they are Higher Self-driven.

An example: Let's say you are making a career choice, and you have the chance to take a job where you can do what you truly love and make a moderate salary; and you have another opportunity to do something you are pretty good at (but don't particularly like), and make a huge salary, which appeals to you because you'd like to buy a fancy house and you need the money to fund your retirement. Your short-sighted, survival-oriented ego mind will be lobbying for the big salary, not-very-enjoyable job. Your Higher Self will likely be prompting you toward the job you would love doing, but with a lower salary. Is this because your Higher Self is just a sentimental, impractical softy as your ego may want you to believe? No. Your Higher Self can see things that the ego cannot. All kinds of things could be wrong with the ego's choice, because the ego can't see past the immediate lure of status and security. But the Higher Self is not deceived by appearances, and can steer you in the direction of what is smartest for you over all, and what will lead you toward the greatest joy, ease, and harmony. Besides, doing what you love may just lead to an opportunity to make even more money than you could in the other job, and even if not, it will most definitely offer you the deep fulfillment that only being aligned with your purpose can. The Higher Self would know that-the ego would not.

Wouldn't you rather have an advisor that is all-wise, with your highest interests in mind, than one that is reactive, misguided, short-sighted, and without a clue what's right for you in the big picture? Your Higher Self is the one to turn to when there's a decision to be made.

©2005 Julia Rogers Hamrick

Julia Rogers Hamrick has been a spiritual-growth facilitator for over two decades, and is the author of Recreating Eden: The Exquisitely Simple, Divinely Ordained Plan for Transforming Your Life and Your Planet. Julia writes about and leads seminars on Spirit, ego, proactive joy, and the relationship between frequency and experience. For more information on Julia and on recreating Eden, visit http://www.recreating-eden.com To read about Julia's own dance with Spirit, ego, and frequency, read Julia's blog, accessible from her website.

---

What Do You Want This Year?

Christmas is all around us, and many people are making... Read More

Triggering Intention: How To Remember To Remember

You've got a lot to store in that brain of... Read More

Embrace Change

Last Sunday I was sitting in on a class we... Read More

A Sweep of Vanity: How To Burst Your Own Bubble

"Hoy-day! What a sweep of vanity comes this way!" --William... Read More

Wise Hericlitus

"You cannot step into the same river twice"Hericlitus spoke those... Read More

The Good, The Bad & The Ugly

Most of us don't want to admit we have a... Read More

Whos World Is It? The World Is Yours - Invite Success

Who's World Is It?Who's world really is it? Is it... Read More

5 Practical Shyness Tips That Work Everytime

We all experience a little shyness at times with people... Read More

The Cliché of Balance

The world we are living in is changing at a... Read More

Mind Your Mind

Three Secrets to Effective Affirmations:1 Drive your Physiology - by... Read More

10 Common Money And Success Myths ? Part 3

Here we continue to discuss a few commonly held beliefs,... Read More

Why Character and Integrity Are So Important

It's been said that character is defined by what you... Read More

6 Great Ways To Improve Your Social Skills

If you are looking for a way to improve your... Read More

The Law of Attraction in Action

Would you like to be able to experience more of... Read More

How To Bypass Your Conscious Mind and Program Yourself For Success

Emile Coué, the French psychotherapist once said: "When the imagination... Read More

Etch a Sketch or Oil Painting: Where Do You Need to Take a Stand?

Maybe can be a great place. It's full of possibility,... Read More

How to Increase Your Income Significantly

I would like you to give your full attention to... Read More

Self-Esteem: The Foundation of All You Achieve

At its core, your sense of self-esteem or self-worth has... Read More

Security Is An Inside Job

While I was growing up, my dad repeatedly told me... Read More

Living a Values-Based Life

What is a values-based life? A values-based life is a... Read More

Feng Shui with Style! Working with Your Element Type

When you begin to study feng shui, you quickly realize... Read More

Change Thorns into Flowers

If you had to write an annual appraisal on yourself... Read More

What Message Are You Sending Out?

A woman phoned me the other day to ask me... Read More

Relationships - 9 Never-Changing Rules

In a relationship, your ability to understand and respond to... Read More

What Goes Around, Comes Around

... Read More

Reminiscing About Your Past Can Stimulate Your Future

Have you ever thought much about how some of your... Read More

Any Woman Can Become a Modern Goddess and Attract Good Things With Ease

The Great Goddess may be an ancient echo in the... Read More

Can You Change a Man?

Recently, at a public function where I was the Toastmaster,... Read More

A New Beginning With The People At Work

There's a big opportunity here! The holidays bring a change... Read More

The Art of Loving & Living

The joy of living is in loving. No doubt, only... Read More

What Does the World Owe You?

Sometimes many of us feel like we've made deposits into... Read More

How to Interpret Your Dreams

As many different people there are on this planet, that... Read More

Affirm Actions: Stop Lying to Your Soul and Make It Real!

I hear of so many people using affirmations as the... Read More