Ego Self vs. Higher Self – What Is It and Why Does It Matter?
Plus, learn how to cultivate a connection to your higher self.
In today's world, you're often receiving messages about what you could or should want for your life.
We compare our lives to others on social media.
We're conditioned to follow society's standard definition of success.
We receive ads that tell us what to aspire to do or look like.
If you don't have awareness and connection to your higher self or your true self deep down, it's easy to get swept up in these differing opinions.
You take action based on what you think you *should* want. But this ends up leaving you feeling unfulfilled, which restarts the cycle.
A strong connection to your intuition and higher self guides you in making the right choices for you. Your higher self helps you distinguish between which desires are coming from others' expectations of you versus the ones coming from your own true self. This allows you to live a life with an inner confidence that is authentic to you.
This whole concept may feel abstract at first. So, let's take a deep dive into the differences between the ego-self vs. higher self – and how to cultivate a connection to your higher self.
Ego Self Vs. Higher Self
As you grow up, you're exposed to the thoughts, values, and beliefs of your parents and the world around you. Each of these aspects starts to form your ego – aka your sense of self and how you define your personal identity.
The ego in itself is not a negative thing. Defining who you are is one of the ways that we make sense of our human existence.
But the ego can be troublesome when you define yourself by external standards and comparisons. And the world we live in today often leads us to tie our sense of self and self-worth to external factors. Like how we look, how “successful” we are by society’s standards, and what we have.
When your ego is tied to external standards and guiding your choices, it can lead to negative consequences, like…
High ego – an inflated sense of self and need for attention
Low ego – a low sense of self-worth and confidence
The root problem of both high and low ego is the same. In both cases, you may find that you are relying on external factors to inform your sense of self and self-worth.
Deep down, your authentic self feels like its needs are not being met, and it's not allowed to be seen. Your higher self is your connection to your deepest authentic values of who you are, how you want to show up in the world, and your purpose.
Understanding the distinction between the ego-self and the higher self is the first step toward living an authentic life. When you live by your authentic self (higher self) you release the need to compare yourself to others and external standards.
You start to cultivate self-trust when you allow yourself to show up as the most authentic version of yourself. And self-trust deepens this connection to your higher self.
Are you tired of comparing yourself to others, chasing society’s ideas about “success,” or feeling unfulfilled? These are all signs it’s time to cultivate your connection to your higher self to lead a more authentic life.
How to Connect to Your Higher Self
It took a lifetime for you to form your beliefs and sense of self. So, reframing your thoughts and connecting with your higher self doesn’t happen overnight. But with guided practice over time, you can cultivate this connection to your inner intuition and self-guidance.
An effective way to connect to your higher self and live from inner confidence is through the combination of mindful meditation and guidance from a coach.A coach can guide you in understanding how to connect with yourself authentically and help you to create a meditation practice that works for you.
Here are three reasons why coaching and mindful meditation are some of the most effective ways to connect with the higher self:
Be Aware of Your Thoughts. Meditation helps you to separate your true, authentic self from your thoughts and stories.
Meditation allows you to let your thoughts come and go without judgement.
Be Aware of Your Beliefs. Many of our choices are guided by our beliefs, and our beliefs are often subconscious. It’s important to be aware of how our beliefs could be guiding our decisions.
For example, maybe you grew up with the belief that your self-worth is tied to your work. So now, as an adult, your self-worth is directly affected by the external factor of how much "success" you have.Meditation combined with the guidance from a coach helps us to disconnect from the external expectations and take time within. This leads to connecting to our real values. From here we begin to trust our inner self to guide us in life instead of relying on external measures of success.
Connect With Yourself. Meditation quiets the mind and helps you to connect with the energy within you. Connecting to your authentic energy is how you strengthen the bond to your higher self.
Strengthening your connection to your higher self and intuition has many benefits. It’s how you develop self-trust and an inner compass you can rely on. Developing an inner compass is how you make decisions that allow you to lead an authentic life.
In today's world, it's easy to feel tugged around by the external ideas, comparisons, and opinions about what you *should* be doing. Meditation is a practice that helps you feel grounded in your true, higher self. You no longer feel the pressure to meet all of these external expectations. Instead, you can live your life more authentically to yourself.
And meditation doesn’t need to be hard or take too much time. Simply starting this practice at 10 minutes per day creates a lasting effect over time.
Guidance in Connecting With Your Higher Self
Imagine how it would feel to live an authentic life with a deep sense of confidence and direction. You could stop chasing external ideas and opinions, and feel fulfilled with who and where you are.
This is the power of connecting with your higher self.
When you’re ready to get started, I can help. My whole-life coaching guides you in uncovering your authentic desires for your life and cultivating a connection with your higher self. I always begin with a centering practice and guide you in learning how to connect to your higher self.
Ready to get started? Book a free consultation with me today.