The Voices We Hear

Ever feel like your mind is running the show without your permission? We open a quiet space to notice the voices shaping how we see ourselves—family scripts, social media narratives, fear, and the subtle pressure to perform. Through story and reflection, we trace how even well-meaning messages can harden into limiting beliefs, and how a simple act—naming what’s true—can shift you from autopilot to agency.

We walk through a practical distinction between encouraging voices that build identity and controlling voices that build anxiety. You’ll hear a personal turning point that began with one question—Who are you doing all this for?—and how that question exposed approval-seeking disguised as ambition. From there, we explore how awareness becomes power: when you give something a name, it loses the ability to rule you from the dark. That’s the moment reaction turns into response, compliance into choice, and pressure into purpose.

We also get honest about comparison. Social media can be a constant narrator telling you you’re late, behind, or missing out. We unpack how comparison doesn’t just steal joy; it distorts identity. Together we practice resetting the signal: reducing noise, grounding in faith, choosing standards that align with your values, and letting purpose speak more loudly than urgency. We finish with guided affirmations to anchor peace, courage, and clarity—practical words you can return to when the noise rises.

If this conversation helped you breathe a little deeper, share it with a friend who’s carrying a heavy inner dialogue. Subscribe, leave a review, and tell us: which voice are you ready to turn down—and which truth will get the final word?

Chapters

• 1:42 Welcome And Mental Health Check-In
• 3:12 A Family Story And Wake-Up Call
• 5:51 Why Voices Shape Identity
• 8:30 Performing Versus Living With Conviction
• 11:21 Encouraging Voices Versus Controlling Voices
• 14:11 Awareness, Naming, And Power
• 19:11 The Cost Of Avoiding The Truth
• 21:51 From Awareness To Authority
• 24:31 Social Media, Comparison, And Identity

Transcript

SPEAKER_01: 0:51

Hello everyone, welcome back to the Who Am I Podcast? Once again, I'm your host, Jeff Hopgood, and today we're going to be talking about the voices we hear. But before we get into today's episode, I have to check in with you. I just want to know, how has life been treating you lately? Not just today, not just this morning, but lately. Has it been steady? Has it been overwhelming? Has it been confusing? Has it been heavy in ways you haven't told anyone about? Sometimes we don't even realize how much pressure we're under until someone gives us permission to pause and to fill it. So maybe you've been carrying stress quietly. Maybe you've been fighting battles in your mind that no one else can see. Maybe you've been smiling in public but struggling in private. And if that's you, if that's you, I want you to know you're not weak. You're not weak at all. You're human. See, life doesn't always hit loudly. See, sometimes it whispers doubt, sometimes it plants fear, sometimes it repeats lies so often they start sounding like truth. And see, that's why today's conversation is near and dear to my heart. See, recently I ran into a family member, someone I grew up with, someone who knew me, someone whose life has been intertwined with mine for years. But when I saw him, he didn't even recognize me. Not because of distance, not because of time, but because the voices in his head have become so loud, so dominant, that reality feels distant to him. And I can't even fully explain to you what that did to me. For me to be able to stand in front of someone who I shared childhood memories with, laughters with, life with, and realize the battle in their mind has taken so much ground that they can't even see you clearly anymore. I'm telling you right now that it hurt me to my core. It wasn't anger, it wasn't frustration, it was straight up heartbreak. Because mental health is real, and when the wrong voices go unchecked, when pain, trauma, fear, or illness is left unmanaged, it can become dangerous, it becomes isolating, and it can become deadly. See, that moment reminded me why I do this podcast. See, this isn't just content to me. I can't continue to stress that to you enough. This is a calling because the voices we allow to dominate our minds shape our reality, they shape our relationships, they shape how we see ourselves and others. And if, and if, and only if we don't learn how to confront those voices, question them, manage them, they will begin to manage us. So before we step into today's topic, I want to say this clearly. If you are struggling internally, if your mind has been loud lately, if you've been fighting thoughts that feel heavier than you can carry alone, please, please, please don't isolate yourself. Talk to someone, reach out, seek support. See, there is strength, there is so much strength in asking for help. You deserve clarity, you deserve peace, you deserve a mind that isn't constantly attacking you. And see, that's why today's episode is called The Voices We Hear. This is a personal conversation. See, we're going to talk about the internal voices, where they come from, why some are so loud, and how to discern which one deserves authority in your life. Because not every voice telling you something is telling you the truth. And sometimes learning to manage the voices we hear is the difference between bondage and freedom. So just take a breath with me. And let's lean into this honestly, compassionately, and courageously as we dive into the voices we hear. So let's just take a moment. We're going to slow this conversation down. See, this isn't a rushed conversation. This is what I call a mirror conversation, a conversation to reflect. Because today isn't about what everyone else is saying, it's about what you've been believing. Think about it. See, every single one of us lives under the influence of voices. Some voices are loud, some subtle, some loving, and some even damaging. And see, the dangerous part is this most of the voices shaping us don't announce themselves. They sound familiar, they sound reasonable, and they sound like truth. So most of the time, the voices that we hear, they start early. They start early on in life. Think about it. The first voices we hear aren't strangers, they're family, teachers, coaches, church leaders, authority figures, and most of them meant well. But even well-meaning voices can plant limiting beliefs. Beliefs like you're the responsible one, you're the strong one. Don't disappoint anyone. You have to be perfect. You don't get to mess this up. And before you realize it, you're not living, you're performing. So let me just take you in just a brief story, real quick. See, there was a season in my life where I was doing all the right things. I was progressing, I was achieving, I was checking boxes, but inside I was disconnected. I didn't even notice it at first. Because when everyone applauds you, nobody asks, nobody asks you how you're really doing. And I had voices in my ear constantly. You should take this opportunity. People telling me, you should be grateful, you should push harder, you should already be further. And I listened because I thought that's what strength looks like. But one night, along with my thoughts, it hit me. I couldn't remember the last decision I made that came from conviction instead of expectation. And see, that's a scary realization because when you don't know whose voice you're following, you don't know where you're heading. So let me ask you this. When was the last time you made a decision just because it was right for you, not because it pleased someone else? Just take a second to think about it. See, if that question makes you uncomfortable, no, it's okay. Discomfort is often the doorway to clarity. See, here's an important distinction between encouraging versus controlling voices. See, not all loud voices are wrong, and not all quiet voices are right. See, some voices encourage growth, others control behavior. See, encouragement says, I believe in you, I trust your process, and you'll figure this out. But control says, don't mess this up. People are watching you, you owe them. See, the difference is one builds identity and the other builds anxiety. So let me just tell you a brief story about the voice that broke the pattern. See, I remember a conversation with someone I trusted deeply. They looked at me and said, something simple. Who are you doing all this for? That question right there stopped me cold, cold in my tracks. And I had answered, but none of them felt right. Because when you're living for approval, your motivation always feels urgent. But when you're living in purpose, your motivation feels grounded. See, that was the first time I realized that some voices don't need to be argued with, they need to be muted. So let me ask you this: whose voice do you obey even when it costs you peace? Whose approval feels necessary for you to feel enough? And finally, whose disappointment are you afraid of? What we have to realize is that in answering those questions brings you what we call awareness. And awareness brings power because awareness is power. See, you can't change what you refuse to rename. Let me say this slowly, because this is one of those truths that can change your life if you allow it to. Awareness is power. You can't change what you refuse to name. See, most of us aren't stuck because we're incapable, we're stuck because we're unaware. Or worse, we're aware, but we're afraid to be honest about what we are. Because naming something, whenever you name something, it gives it a shape. And once something has a shape, you can't pretend it doesn't exist anymore. Let's talk about why we avoid this. Why we avoid naming things. We don't name things because naming things feels risky. If I name the fear, I have to confirm. If I name the insecurity, I have to admit it's been leading me. If I name the people pleasing, I have to face who I've been living for. And sometimes, sometimes we rather stay familiar than to be free. Because freedom requires responsibility. Things that we fail to unname, those unnamed things begin to control us. Here's the part that nobody tells you. What you don't name doesn't disappear, it gains control. An unnamed fear becomes anxiety, an unnamed wound becomes anger. An unnamed expectation becomes pressure, and an unnamed voice becomes your inner narrator. And now you're living under something you never consciously chose. See, I remember a moment when I finally named something in my own life. I thought I was just driven, but the truth was I was afraid of disappointing people. I didn't call it fear. You know what I did? I called it responsibility, I called it ambition. But once I named it, I couldn't unsee it anymore. That's when awareness became power in my life because now I wasn't reacting, I was choosing. So let me tell you something important. Naming it isn't weakness, it's courage. Because it takes courage to say I'm afraid, I feel behind, it takes courage to say I'm tired of being strong. It takes courage to say I've been living for approval. And see, that honesty don't break you. It does not break you. You know what it does? It builds you. So let's do this together right now in this moment. No fixing, no judging, no explaining. Just naming it. Ask yourself, what am I avoiding calling out? I want you to ask yourself, what feeling keeps showing up that I've been ignoring? What voice do I obey without questioning? And here's the absolute hardest one. The absolute hardest one is to ask yourself, what truth am I scared to say out loud?

SPEAKER_00: 14:42

Think about it.

SPEAKER_01: 14:45

Because once you name it, once you name it, you're no longer powerless over it. And see, that's when we begin to go from awareness to authority. See, awareness doesn't solve everything, but it gives you authority. And authority changes how you move. See, whenever you're aware, you respond instead of reacting. You choose instead of complying. You walk with intention instead of pressure. See, that's real power. So when I say awareness is power, you can't change what you refuse to name. I'm really saying this. Freedom begins the moment you stop lying to yourself, and growth starts when honesty gets louder than fear. Sit with that for a moment. So now let's talk about a voice that we don't take serious enough. And that voice is social media and comp. Social media is a constant narrator. It whispers, you should be further, they're happier than you, you're late, you're missing something. And if you're not careful, you'll start measuring your worth by someone else's hollow. The amazing thing about comparison is that comparison doesn't just steal joy, it distorts identity. Me, I like watching people, so I'm a people watcher. I watch people lose themselves quietly. Not because they fail, but because they were exhausted trying to keep up with an image they never choose. Smiling on the outside, empty on the inside. And see, that's what happens when the wrong voices run the show. So ask yourself, am I becoming who I'm called to be? Or who gets the most approval? And see, if you answer that question, that answer will tell you a lot. So here's the core truth of this episode. The voice you believe is the voice that shapes you. If you believe fear, you'll live small. If you believe doubt, you'll hesitate. If you believe comparison, you'll feel behind. But if you believe truth, you'll move with it, even when it's uncomfortable. And see, I don't know about you all, but I believe in the Bible, and the Bible tells us that faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen. So we have to follow our faith and that inner voice. See, faith doesn't usually shout, it nudges, it steadies, it reassures, pressure rushes you, purpose anchors you. And if every decision feels urgent, loud, and heavy, that's not clarity, that's noise. Purpose doesn't ask if everyone agrees. Purpose asks, can you live with yourself if you don't obey the call? Can you live with yourself if you don't obey the call? Let's dive into our final mirror moment. Sit with this for a moment. If all the voices went silent tonight, family expectations, social media, fear, comparison, what would God be saying? And are you brave enough to so now that we named the voices, now that we've identified the noise, let's choose what gets the final word. Let's speak light over ourselves and tell yourself I am not defined by every voice that speaks to me. I choose truth over noise. I turn down fear and tune into purpose. I trust the voice that brings peace, not pressure. You know what? That just made me happy. Let's say that one more time, okay? I am not defined by every voice that speaks to me. I choose truth over noise, I turn down fear and tune into purpose. I trust the voice that brings peace, not pressure. And I am becoming, and I give myself grace in the process. So before we move forward, I want you to pause for just a moment.

SPEAKER_00: 19:37

Take a breath, wherever you are, whatever you're carrying, this next part is for you.

SPEAKER_01: 19:45

Let's speak life over ourselves out loud if you can. Because what we say in this moment, it has power to shift how we walk into the rest of our day. So let's begin with our affirmation. I am not defined by my past or limited by my mistakes. I am growing, learning, and becoming who I was created to be. I have value beyond titles, roles, and expectation. I choose honesty over fear, and growth over comfort. I am allowed to change, heal, and evolve. I walk with purpose, clarity, and courage, and I am becoming more aligned with my true self every day. And who I am is enough. So as we close today's episode, I want to thank you for taking this time for yourself. If something you heard inspired you, challenged you, or made you pause and reflect, please don't keep it to yourself. Share this episode with someone who may need it. Invite them into the conversation. See, this podcast grows when we as a community grow together through share stories, honest reflection, and real connections. See, every listen, every share, every conversation helps create a community rooted in purpose, rooted in hope, rooted in faith, rooted in love and truth.

SPEAKER_00: 21:33

So until next time, keep reflecting, keep becoming, and remember, you matter.