There's a voice in my head that insists upon speaking. Actually, there's more than one voice. As a friend of mine says, "There's a committee of voices." I have the critic, the parent, the victim, the judge, the worrier, and many more. These voices sound like people from my life story. These voices have an opinion about all that is happening in and around me. Of course, I am the center of their discussion.
I'm not speaking of voices that we usually associate with mental illness, but if I repeated all this dialogue aloud, people would certainly wonder about my sanity. When I objectively watch and listen to all the words passing through my mind, I discover they are the same voices I heard yesterday and the day before yesterday. I'll hear the same voices saying the same things tomorrow. The dialogue is a recording that keeps repeating.
The problem arises when I believe what the voices are telling me. When the judge criticizes something I've done, I can choose to believe it and question my actions or I can recognize that voice as the critic and dismiss its words. Each time I choose not to give credence to the "voice in the head" I weaken the hold that it has on me. It wants to pull me back into the past (rehashing my words or deeds) or cause me to worry about the future. I would rather live in the present where I find peace of mind.
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