You have probably seen the cartoon image where there’s a tiny angel sitting on one shoulder and a tiny devil sitting on the other – whispering conflicting advice.

A more accurate image (for most people) would be the devil on one shoulder, dressed nice (not at all looking like a devil) and doing a great job of convincing/conning us that he or she is on our side, has our best interest at heart, is there to help us be the best we can be. And on the other shoulder is an angel who has shrunk to quarter size due to being ignored.

Listening to the con artist is not a recipe for success or happiness.

People even often identify themselves as the voice of that devil – I’m a perfectionist, I’m a controller, I’m a pleaser, I’m an avoider, I’m so hard on myself etc. That voice, that tendency, is not who you are! A much better way to think of that voice is – it is a little alien that got trapped inside your head. And it has done a great job of convincing you that it is essential to your survival, to your success, and to your belonging when in actuality, all it does is torture you and create suffering.

What we need to do is reverse this. Let’s shrink the con artist devil and grow the angel. We do that be recognizing the devil voice and rejecting its advice. We remember that it is not our friend or our ally, it is our torturer. Then we turn to the angel who speaks words of life over us. “I believe in you! You can do this! You are amazing! I approve of you! You are loved! You have a beautiful heart! You are worthy of the best life has to offer! Etc.”

Who are you listening to the majority of the time?