Identifying The Voices In Your Head

By Lori Marie

Understanding the Voices in Your Head: How to Identify and Reclaim Your Own Inner Voice

Many of us experience what I call "monkey mind"—the constant chatter in our heads that makes it hard to focus. While not everyone hears a specific inner dialogue, most of us have experienced this mental noise. But where do these voices come from? Are they truly ours, or have they been shaped by society, trauma, and unconscious programming?

The purpose of this post is to help you identify your own voice, but before we can do that, we need to understand all the other voices that might be drowning out your true inner voice. Let's break them down.

Conditioned Voices

One of the most common sources of internal noise comes from conditioned voices—thoughts and beliefs shaped by societal, cultural, and technological influences. These voices often push us to work harder, be more successful, or conform to certain roles. They echo societal expectations and fuel the fear of failure if we don't meet them. Additionally, cultural and religious conditioning often instills a voice that judges actions as "right" or "wrong," often rooted in inherited moral codes. Many of us grew up with rules and expectations that may no longer align with who we are today.

In today's world, AI and technology also play a role in shaping our thoughts. Have you ever scrolled through social media and suddenly felt anxious or inadequate? This feeling is often the result of subtle programming from algorithms that influence our emotions and behaviors.

Personal Wounding and Protective Mechanisms

In addition to external conditioning, our inner voices can be shaped by personal wounding and protective mechanisms. These voices come from past experiences or trauma, with self-criticism and perfectionism often stemming from childhood. The inner critic may try to prevent us from experiencing failure or rejection, pushing us to meet impossible standards or punishing us when we don’t measure up. Inner child wounding might surface as fears of abandonment, rejection, or the need for approval. When we react strongly to situations, it’s often our inner child seeking safety and reassurance. Similarly, unprocessed trauma or PTSD responses may cause hypervigilance, with the mind constantly scanning for danger to prevent reliving past pain.

Collective and Archetypal Influences

Our inner voices can also be shaped by deeper, collective forces. Ancestral and generational imprints refer to survival patterns and inherited fears passed down through family lines. You may be carrying emotional residues from your ancestors’ struggles without even realizing it. Similarly, collective consciousness—the shared fear, uncertainty, or anxiety of society—can influence your inner dialogue, even if you’re not consciously aware of it. Lastly, unconscious archetypes, such as the Shadow, the Hero, or the Wise One, can emerge during transformative moments or challenges, guiding us through self-realization.

Spiritual and Psychic Influences

Sometimes, the voices in our heads are not ours at all but come from spiritual or psychic sources. Psychic or intuitive downloads are messages from your higher self or spiritual team, offering guidance on your path. You may hear a voice that is meant to support you, not because it’s your inner critic. Additionally, astral or etheric attachments can affect your thoughts. If you ever feel that thought isn’t yours or feels off in some way, you may be picking up on external energy. Similarly, parallel reality bleed-through can cause thoughts or impressions that seem disconnected from your current reality. You may feel like you’re remembering something that never happened or experiencing emotions that don’t fit your situation. These could be echoes from alternate timelines or realities.

How to Sort Through the Noise and Find Your True Voice

Now that we know where all these voices come from, it’s time to learn how to identify your own true voice. We are often conditioned to listen to these voices without questioning them, but the key to quieting the noise is rewiring the brain to focus on something else.

Mindfulness and meditation are powerful tools in this process. You might imagine these as moments of stillness, but true mindfulness can happen in any activity that helps you focus and disconnect from the noise. Mindfulness doesn’t mean you have to sit quietly in a room with soothing music. It can be anything that allows you to bring your attention back to the present moment when your mind starts to wander. When you focus on an activity and become fully immersed in it, you enter a flow state—which is essentially a form of meditation.

During this focused state, if a voice creeps in, you can pause and reflect on it. Ask yourself: Where did that voice come from? Is it truly mine? Is it true? Then, you can redirect your attention back to the task at hand. The more you practice this, the more you’ll begin to distinguish your true voice from the noise around you.

Finding Mindfulness in Everyday Activities

You might be wondering, “When am I supposed to find the time to be mindful?” The truth is, you can practice mindfulness anywhere. You can do it while cleaning your house. If you hear a voice in your head, like, Why am I the only one doing this?—pause and ask yourself: Is that truly my voice? This is mindfulness. It’s about being aware of the voices in your head and choosing where to direct your attention.

Other simple ways to practice mindfulness include walking, jogging, exercising, painting, coloring, hiking, or even driving. You can use any activity that helps you focus and bring your attention back when your mind wanders.

Additional Mindfulness Practices to Quiet the Noise

Here are some other practices you can try to help quiet the mental chatter:

• Mindful Breathing: Focus on your breath to anchor yourself in the present moment. Each inhale and exhale creates space between you and the noise in your head.

• Parts Work (IFS Method): If a critical voice comes up, ask: “Who is speaking?” Is it the inner child? The protector? The critic? Simply identifying the part reduces its power.

• Body Scan Meditation: Notice where certain voices "live" in your body. Tension in the chest may signal fear, while tightness in the jaw may signal anger.

• Dialogue with the Voice: Write down what the voice is saying. Ask it why it’s there and what it needs from you.

• Higher Self Alignment: Picture yourself surrounded by light. Ask your higher self for guidance: “What is truly mine to carry?”

Let me help you reclaim your true inner voice!

Learning to identify and separate external noise from your authentic voice is a profound act of self-love. With patience and practice, you can create space within and reconnect with the true voice of your soul. The next time a voice arises, pause and ask: Is this really mine? With practice, you’ll begin to recognize your true voice, and with it, you’ll have the power to let go of what no longer serves you.

If you want to dive deeper into mindfulness and healing, join me for an upcoming virtual guided meditation session on Wednesday, March 26, 2025 8:00 pm Arizona time. Let's explore this process together. Add your name to the invitation list and a calendar invite with a link to the event will be sent to you. https://forms.gle/iPBjnVHqSAfr8WYz5

Visit Divine24.org and subscribe to The Portal—my bi-weekly newsletter offering mindfulness tips and spiritual insights. I’ll also send a free downloadable guided meditation to all subscribers to help you identify the voices in your head and release what no longer serves you!