Who’s Voice Is That?

What if your inner critic isn’t actually you?

We all have that voice in our heads.

It questions our choices, tells us we’re not ready yet. Not good enough.

You might think that voice is you. But what if it’s not?

What if it’s your mother’s worry echoing back to you? Your father’s fear of failure? That one teacher’s sarcasm that found its way under your skin? The church that told you what was sacred and shameful before you had the time to define yourself?

We grow up absorbing more than we realize. Opinions become beliefs. Beliefs become identities. And somewhere in the mix, we mistake inherited noise as our own truth.

Here’s the tricky part:

That voice is clever. It uses your language. It pretends to protect you— by keeping you small, silent, or “safe.”

But truth doesn’t sound like fear. It doesn’t speak in shame. It doesn’t whisper, “You’re not enough.”

I invite you to get curious. Next time that voice pipes up—pause. Ask it: “Whose voice are you, really?”

And then listen closely. You might hear your grandmother’s expectations. Your coach’s disappointment. A culture that profits from your self-doubt.

Here’s where the power begins: You don’t have to keep listening.

You are allowed to change the station. To speak to Your Self in a new voice.

Your own.Reflection prompt:

Write down 3 recurring negative thoughts you often hear. Then, for each one, ask:

Who taught me to think this way?

Does this belief actually belong to me?

What would my voice say instead?

What if your inner critic isn’t actually you?

We all have that voice in our heads.

It questions our choices, tells us we’re not ready yet. Not good enough.

You might think that voice is you. But what if it’s not?

What if it’s your mother’s worry echoing back to you? Your father’s fear of failure? That one teacher’s sarcasm that found its way under your skin? The church that told you what was sacred and shameful before you had the time to define yourself?

We grow up absorbing more than we realize. Opinions become beliefs. Beliefs become identities. And somewhere in the mix, we mistake inherited noise as our own truth.

Here’s the tricky part:

That voice is clever. It uses your language. It pretends to protect you— by keeping you small, silent, or “safe.”

But truth doesn’t sound like fear. It doesn’t speak in shame. It doesn’t whisper, “You’re not enough.”

I invite you to get curious. Next time that voice pipes up—pause. Ask it: “Whose voice are you, really?”

And then listen closely. You might hear your grandmother’s expectations. Your coach’s disappointment. A culture that profits from your self-doubt.

Here’s where the power begins: You don’t have to keep listening.

You are allowed to change the station. To speak to Your Self in a new voice.

Your own.Reflection prompt:

Write down 3 recurring negative thoughts you often hear. Then, for each one, ask:

Who taught me to think this way?

Does this belief actually belong to me?

What would my voice say instead?