Many people are
Asleep to what’s real,
So they miss
The daily thrill
Of being alive.

Popular culture declares that our emotions and desires are real and definitive of who we are. The truth is: Human feelings are frequently false, and our desires are often deceptive.

We need to base our life on something more accurate than our feelings and desires. Fortunately, we have a built-in navigation system that can stabilize and direct us. It’s called our conscience. Don’t follow your heart if your heart is unwilling to follow your conscience.

If you refuse to go where your conscience leads you, guilty feelings will let you know that you’re off track. To try to medicate guilt away is like silencing a fire alarm.

Your conscience does double duty. It warns you against doing wrong. Then it self-proclaims an ongoing, guilty verdict when you do.

Our conscience is our true connection to reality. When we override our feelings and desires and follow our conscience instead, it will guide us to peace and joy.