The soul inside ourselves has three garments -- thought, speech and action. Through these garments we express different dimensions of our soul, and through these garments people judge us, and rightfully so! Our garments have the influence to make us either feel good or just the opposite.Although the soul is revealed through these garments, they never become a part of it, and always remain an external instrument, with means of either helping or hurting the soul.
We can change our garments as we please. Yet, we can not easily change our inherent self. The same is also for the garments of the soul. A person can decide to think, speak or act in line with his nature, such as a rich man putting on rich cloth or a lean person putting on the right size clothing…Or a person can decide to think, speak and act, not in line with their souls, much like a poor person donning rich clothes or a heavy person squeezing themselves into thin clothing.
It is possible for a person to put on clothing not compatible with his soul. For example, a dirty soul can put on clean clothing, and a clean soul can put on dirty clothing. Although a person does not get to choose the kind of body or soul they have, we always have the full control over the garments of thought, speech and action we place over our souls.
A person can do (action) a favor for someone, even when his heart tells him to do the opposite. A person can say (speech) nice things, even when his heart feels differently. And in thought, a person can think positively, even when he is inclined to thoughts of sadness and hopelessness.
While freewill and total opportunity is always present to think, speak and do as a person chooses, it takes extra effort at the precise moment that it does not feel natural to conscientiously and deliberately put on an incompatible thought, speech or action to the soul.
That is why the instructions and commandments to be moral, ethical and G-dly are satisfied through the garments and not so much with the soul itself and its characteristics. G-d expects us to do things that are within our power to fulfill. Otherwise, it would not be fair to expect something a person could not deliver. A person has full control over his garments, even against the feeling of his own heart or what he or she believes is a natural tendency of their soul.