When Noise Talks

The Noise Outside vs. The Voice Inside

You know that feeling when the world just won’t shut the fuck up?

The horns outside, the neighbor yelling on a phone call, reels blaring the same recycled sound, people telling you what you should do with your life as if they’ve figured out their own. It’s noise, noise, and more noise.

And in the middle of that chaos sits you, trying to think, trying to breathe, trying to listen. Not to Spotify, not to YouTube, not to yet another guru podcast… but to yourself. To that quiet, whispering voice inside that doesn’t scream for attention but deserves it more than anything else.

This post is not going to serve you sugar-coated lines about “inner peace” or “just meditate 10 minutes a day.” I’m not here for fairy-tale solutions. I’m here for war. Because this is a war: The Noise Outside vs. The Voice Inside. And how you handle it will decide if you’re living a borrowed life or your own life.

The Story: A Moment of Deafness

I’ll tell you where this hit me hard.

One night, I was lying in bed after a long day. My mind was buzzing, my phone screen still glowing from mindless scrolling. I had just wasted two hours flipping through reels that made me laugh for two seconds and forget them the next. But when I closed my eyes, silence didn’t come.

The voices of influencers telling me how to “optimize my life.”

My life's feedback looping in my brain.

My own expectations playing like background music.

The noise had invaded my head.

Also, READ | The Heart Speaks Louder: Understanding why passion and intuition often defeat logic.

And then… somewhere deep in that static, there was another sound. Faint. Almost shy. Like a kid raising a hand in a noisy classroom, waiting to be noticed.

It was me. Not the “me” that scrolls, not the “me” that plays roles for society. It was the real me. And it was whispering, almost embarrassed, “What the hell are you doing?”

That one line cut through every notification buzz I had trained myself to worship. It was raw. It was real. And it was the voice I had ignored for far too long.

That’s when I realized the outside noise wasn’t just distracting me. It was muting me.

The Lesson: Noise is Seductive, Voice is Subtle

Here’s the truth most people don’t like to admit: the outside world is louder because it wants to control you.

Think about it, when noise talks, ads scream, news channels dramatize, algorithms feed you dopamine like candy. Even your family and friends (with good intentions, maybe) keep telling you what’s “right” for you. The noise is seductive because it’s instant, it’s loud, and it’s constant.

But your inner voice? That shit doesn’t shout. It whispers. It doesn’t demand attention; it waits for it. That’s why so many people ignore it, it’s subtle. And subtle doesn’t sell.

But let me ask you this: when was the last time the noise outside made you feel alive? When was the last time scrolling Instagram gave you the kind of satisfaction that listening to your gut instinct did? Never.

The noise keeps you busy. The voice keeps you awake.

Also, READ | Speak. Be. Echo. : Finding your real voice in everyday conversations.

The Prison of Borrowed Lives

Here’s where it gets darker. Most people never hear their own voice clearly. They die living someone else’s script, parents’ script, society’s script, or Instagram’s script.

They study what they’re told, marry when they’re told, spend their money how trends tell them, chase dreams that weren’t even theirs to begin with. And they defend it. “This is life.” No. This is noise pollution with a pretty bow on it.

The tragedy? The longer you ignore your inner voice, the weaker it gets. Not because it disappears, but because you stop trusting it. You numb yourself with the outside soundtrack until silence feels scary, almost alien.

That’s why people panic when they’re alone without their phones. They’ve forgotten how to sit with themselves. They’ve mistaken silence for emptiness.

Also, READ | Thrive All Around the World : Expanding beyond survival into true living.

The Shift: Choosing Your Frequency

So how do you flip this script? How do you turn down the volume of the outside world without becoming a monk in the Himalayas?

Here’s what I’ve learned:

1. Get Brutal With Filters

   Not on Instagram, on life. If someone’s voice is constantly draining you, mute them. If a platform eats your time without giving you clarity, delete it. Filters aren’t just for photos; they’re for survival.

2. Create Noise-Free Zones

   Set sacred spaces where no external sound is allowed. Your room, your walk, your shower, whatever. Train your brain to know: “Here, I listen only to myself.”

3. Practice Micro-Silence

   You don’t need 10-day retreats. Start with 10 minutes. Sit. No music. No phone. Just breathe and let your thoughts wander. At first, the noise will scream louder. But if you sit long enough, your voice will start breaking through.

4. Respect the Whisper

   When your gut says “this isn’t right” or “this excites me,” don’t dismiss it. Write it down. Small instincts are seeds. When you water them, they grow into clarity.

5. Stop Apologizing for Hearing Yourself

   People will call you selfish, weird, detached. Fine. Better selfish than soulless.

The Takeaway: You vs. You

At the end of the day, it’s not about beating the noise. The noise will always be there, louder than ever, in fact.

The real game is: do you recognize your own voice when you hear it?

Because that’s your compass. That’s your sanity. That’s your soul reminding you that you’re not just another piece of the crowd, you’re you.

And the day you start honoring that voice, you’ll notice something wild: the outside noise won’t stop, but it will stop mattering. Like static in the background while your favorite song plays.

That’s the shift. That’s freedom.

Closing Balance: Listen Before It’s Too Late

If you’ve read this far, here’s the brutal truth: your inner voice has been whispering while you read. Maybe it told you to take this seriously. Maybe it told you to roll your eyes. Either way, it spoke.

The question is, did you hear it?

Because if you didn’t, you’re just adding another layer of noise to the pile. But if you did… even faintly… then that’s your chance. Grab it. Follow it. Honor it.

Life is too damn short to live deaf to yourself.

So here’s my challenge to you: Tonight, when the world goes quiet, don’t reach for your phone. Don’t switch on Netflix. Just sit. And wait.

Wait until you hear the only voice that actually matters. Your own.

— RV Lucido