The Inner Compass

Day Two:
Meet The Rebel & The Guard

Inside all of us are two protective inner voices — the Rebel Mind and the Guard. They often run the show behind the scenes, subtly influencing how we react, retreat, push back, or perform.

The Rebel Mind is the most tender and vulnerable part of you. It’s rooted in fear, scarcity, and the deep worry of not being enough. It may withdraw, shrink, collapse, or sometimes lash out. It often hides beneath the surface and can be hard to recognize — especially because it feels so exposed. The Guard is a part you that developed to keep you safe, accepted, and in control. It often shows up as over-functioning, perfectionism, people-pleasing, or control. It looks polished on the outside but is fueled by fear of vulnerability or rejection. These parts aren’t bad — they’re patterns you learned in response to life. But they can keep you stuck if you don’t recognize their influence.

Instructions

Reflect on your Rebel Mind and Guard using the journal prompts below. There’s nothing to fix. Just notice. Awareness is the beginning of choice.

  • When does your Rebel Mind show up?

  • What does it sound or feel like?

  • What is your Guard trying to protect you from?

  • What patterns or behaviours does it use?

  • What do you notice about the relationship between the two?

Want to go deeper?

Try giving each of these parts a persona — imagine them as characters. Maybe your Rebel Mind is a withdrawn teenager in a hoodie who avoids eye contact, or a fiery revolutionary who refuses to conform. Maybe your Guard is a polished executive, a protective older sibling, or a perfectionist running the show. (These are all true stories of creative personas our students have come up with!)

When you give your Rebel and Guard names, voices, personalities, even outfits, something powerful happens: they become recognizable. Relatable. You start to see them not as flaws or blocks — but as parts of you doing their best to help. And once they’re seen, you can begin to relate to them with more clarity, compassion, and choice.

Also, my colleague Michelle and I recorded a podcast episode called The Guard that might offer deeper insight into this part of you. Sometimes the Guard and Rebel Mind get tangled up, and it can be hard to tell where one ends and the other begins. Listening to this episode may help you recognize how these parts show up in your own life.