SERIES 1 — CHAPTER TWO THE VOICE IN YOUR HEAD ISN’T ALL YOURS 3/3 How Borrowed Thoughts Become Identity — And How You Take Yourself Back

THE VOICE IN YOUR HEAD ISN’T ALL YOURS 3/3

How Borrowed Thoughts Become Identity And How You Take Yourself Back

I used to believe every thought in my head was me. Every doubt, every fear, every harsh judgment felt like a personal truth. But over time, I realized something powerful: the voice inside my head wasn’t entirely mine. It was a mix of echoes from my past, lessons I absorbed without questioning, and reactions I never learned to control. The moment I started noticing this difference was the moment my freedom began.

Hearing the Thought Without Agreeing

The first step I took was simple but not easy: I learned to hear a thought without immediately agreeing with it. For example, when a negative thought like “I’m not good enough” popped up, I didn’t jump to accept it as fact. Instead, I paused and observed it like a passing cloud. This pause created a gap between the thought and my reaction.

That gap is where freedom begins. It’s the space where you realize the voice in your head is just a voice, not your identity. You can hear it, but you don’t have to believe it.

Feeling the Reaction Without Surrendering

Thoughts often trigger emotions. When I felt anxiety or shame rising, I practiced feeling those emotions without surrendering to them. It was like watching waves crash on the shore without being pulled under. This took patience and practice, but it helped me see that feelings are temporary responses, not permanent states.

For example, when I felt overwhelmed by self-doubt before a big presentation, I acknowledged the fear but didn’t let it control my actions. I reminded myself that feeling fear didn’t mean I was incapable.

Noticing Beliefs Without Letting Them Define You

Beliefs are powerful because they shape how we see ourselves and the world. Many of my beliefs were inherited from family, culture, or past experiences. I started asking myself questions like:

• Who taught me this belief?

• Is this belief based on truth or just a memory?

• Does this belief help me grow or hold me back?

  
  

By questioning these beliefs, I began to loosen their grip. For instance, I once believed I had to be perfect to be worthy. When I challenged that, I found it was a survival mechanism from childhood, not a rule I had to live by.

The Spirit’s Quiet Voice

While the mind is loud and reactive, the spirit speaks softly. I learned to listen for that quiet voice inside me that doesn’t shout or panic. It speaks through:

• A gentle pull or nudge

• A whisper of peace

• A steady conviction

• A dream that refuses to die

  
  

This voice doesn’t ask “What if you fail?” It asks, “What if you rise?” It doesn’t say “You can’t.” It reminds me “You were built for this.” This is the voice I’m reclaiming.

Taking Your Mind Back

This journey isn’t about silencing the negative voice. It’s about learning to challenge it. I started asking my mind tough questions:

• Where did this voice come from?

• Is this my voice or someone else’s?

• Am I reacting to the present or the past?

• Does this belief move me forward or keep me stuck?

  
  

Each question weakened the negative loops and rewired my identity. It was painful at times but also freeing. Slowly, my true voice grew louder than the borrowed ones.

The Truth Beneath the Noise

The voice in your head isn’t your enemy. It’s a map of how you survived. But survival can’t be the ruler anymore. There comes a time when the wounded voice must step aside, and the healing voice must take command.

That time is now.

As one wise voice said to me: “You’re not crazy. You’re waking up.”