Reclaiming You, Part 7: Listening to Your Inner Voice

Somewhere along the way, we were taught to be helpful. To hold everything together. To smile while we do it. And if we ever dared to want more—more rest, more space, more truth, more time for ourselves—we were told we were selfish, dramatic, or ungrateful.

This blog series was born from that quiet ache so many women carry—the feeling that something's off, even if they can’t name it. It’s for the women who check every box, show up for everyone, and still go to bed wondering, “Is this all there is?”

Last week, we talked about ditching comparison—not just the kind that leaves us feeling like we’re not doing enough, but also the kind that dismisses our struggles because someone else has it worse. We explored what it means to feel our feelings fully, to notice when we’re triggered, and to step into our own lives without letting someone else’s highlight reel or hardship define our worth.

This week, we’re going deeper.

Because what happens when we stop comparing and quiet the noise around us? What’s left when we peel back the layers of other people’s expectations? That’s where our inner voice lives—the part of us that knows what we really need, want, and feel. The part of us that we were once deeply connected to, before the world taught us to doubt it.

Take some time to listen to your inner voice

In Untamed, Glennon Doyle writes:

“We weren’t born distrusting and fearing ourselves. That was part of our taming. We were taught to believe that who we are in our natural state is bad and dangerous. They convinced us to be afraid of ourselves. So we do not honor our own bodies, curiosity, hunger, judgment, experience, or ambition. Instead, we lock away our true selves. Women who are best at this disappearing act earn the highest praise: She is so selfless. Can you imagine? The epitome of womanhood is to lose one’s self completely. That is the end goal of every patriarchal culture. Because a very effective way to control women is to convince women to control themselves.”

This week is about unlearning that fear. About slowly, gently turning the volume back up on that quiet, knowing voice inside you—the one that’s been whispering all along, “There’s more to you than this.”

Learning to Listen: Practical Strategies to Reconnect With Your Inner Voice

Tuning into your inner voice—your intuition—doesn’t happen overnight. For many of us, it’s been drowned out by years of expectations, comparisons, and external noise. But your inner voice is still there, quiet but steady, waiting for you to listen. Here are some ways to begin that process:

1. Follow Your Gut (and Pay Attention to What Happens)

Start by noticing your body’s cues. Do a quick body scan—close your eyes, take a breath, and check in from head to toe. Where do you feel tension or ease? Where are you holding something that needs attention? Our bodies often tell us the truth before our minds catch up. As you practice, reflect on how your body reacts when something feels right—or wrong. These subtle signals are often your inner wisdom trying to speak.

2. Tune In Through Everyday Mindfulness

Your inner voice often whispers when you’re not busy listening to everything else. One simple but powerful way to reconnect with it is by slowing down and being present in the small, everyday moments. Whether you’re sipping your morning coffee, going for a walk, eating lunch, washing dishes, or folding laundry—treat it as an invitation to pause and listen.

You don’t need to sit cross-legged or close your eyes. Just notice. Notice the temperature of the water, the feel of your feet on the ground, the sound of your breath. Let your thoughts settle without judgment. In that stillness, your inner knowing has a chance to rise up. Choose one or more routine task each day to do with full presence. No multitasking, no rushing—just observing. Ask yourself, “What do I notice right now?” and tune in to all your senses.

3. Make Decisions Based on Your Values, Needs, and Desires

Start small. Set a daily alarm to pause and ask yourself, “What do I need right now?”—and then give it to yourself if you can. Maybe it’s a glass of water, a stretch, a deep breath, or a moment of silence. As this becomes habit, you can begin to make bigger decisions through this lens of self-awareness. Over time, your values and needs will feel clearer, and honoring them will feel less like a luxury and more like a necessity. You might feel some discomfort or guilt at first, especially if you’re used to prioritizing everyone else. But your needs matter. Getting clear on your values can be a powerful compass—your inner voice often aligns with them.

4. Practice Quieting the Noise

Your inner voice thrives in stillness. Even just five minutes of quiet can shift your whole day. Try mindfulness or meditation once a day this week—set a timer, find a quiet space, and simply be. You might focus on your breath, listen to calming music, go for a walk without your phone or just sit in silence. Try it every day for a week and pay attention to how it affects your clarity, mood, and sense of connection with yourself. Turn inward instead of scrolling, reacting, or seeking outside validation. You don’t need all the answers—just enough quiet to hear yourself think.

5. Reflect Through Journaling and Creative Expression

Journaling helps you slow down and check in with what’s really going on inside. It can be a powerful way to unearth what’s buried under the noise. This week, try five minutes of “flow writing”—set a timer and write without editing or judging. Let the words pour out, even if they don’t make sense. You might also try prompts like “What am I pretending not to know?” or “What is my inner voice telling me today?” You might be surprised by what surfaces.

Creativity, too—drawing, painting, singing, dancing, gardening—can all help you bypass logic, tap into what your heart really knows and unlock insights that thinking alone can’t. 

6. Spend Time in Nature

Nature has a way of bringing us back to ourselves. Go for a walk, sit under a tree, feel the breeze or simply watch the clouds. Tune in to your senses: What do you see, hear, smell, feel? Grounding yourself in the physical world helps calm your nervous system and makes space for your inner voice to be heard. Even five minutes outdoors can make a difference, stripping away the busyness and reconnecting us with something deeper. These quiet moments can often help us hear the whispers of our intuition more clearly.

7. Limit Technology and Reclaim Your Attention

If you constantly have voices in your ears or content in your hands, there’s no room for your voice. Consider stepping back from technology this week—especially social media. These platforms are designed to fill our minds with others’ voices and opinions, making it harder to hear our own. Try a social media detox, even just for a few days, and notice what shifts. Or try setting aside certain hours where your phone goes away and screens stay off. Use the extra time to rest, reflect, reconnect with yourself offline or do something nourishing. As you become more intentional with your time, your inner wisdom will have space to surface.

8. Listen to the Rhythm of Your Heart

Sometimes your inner voice speaks not in words, but in sensation—in the steady rhythm of your heartbeat, in the warmth of love flowing through your body. When you're feeling overwhelmed or uncertain, take a moment to place your hand over your heart and simply feel its beat, like a steady drum calling you home to yourself.

Breathe slowly. With each inhale, imagine self-love filling every corner of your body, even the hidden crevices that feel neglected or unsure. With each exhale, let that love expand outward—filling the room, the space around you, and beyond.

This simple practice is a reminder: you are grounded, you are worthy, and you are already whole. Your heart holds wisdom. You just have to tune in and listen.

9. Ask Yourself: Is This True and Beautiful?

In Untamed, Glennon Doyle writes about a powerful practice—asking whether something is “true and beautiful.” This week, try focusing on a different area of your life each day—your work, relationships, routines, beliefs, home, goals, or even your inner dialogue. Jot down your thoughts and feelings on what is true and beautiful and what is not. Revisit these notes in the coming weeks to see what’s shifted. If something doesn’t feel true or beautiful, be curious about why—and have the courage to reimagine or release it. It’s not about being reckless—it’s about being real. Sometimes listening to your inner voice means burning down what’s not serving you and building something new from the ashes.

Reflection Corner

Take some time this week to explore one or more of these questions. You can write your thoughts in a journal, discuss them with a close friend or reflect on them during meditation:

• What does my inner voice sound like? When was the last time I really listened to it?

• Where in my life am I ignoring my own needs to keep others comfortable?

• What practices help me feel grounded and connected to myself?

• What do you notice when you pause and listen to your heart? What emotions or messages come up?

• What parts of my life feel “true and beautiful”? What parts do not?

• What emotion have I been avoiding lately? What might it be trying to tell me?

Up Next Week: Finding Joy in a Life That’s Still Messy

Listening to your inner voice is a radical act of self-trust. But what comes next? Next week, we’ll talk about finding joy—not when everything’s perfect, but right here, in the middle of the mess. Because joy isn’t a reward for having it all figured out. It’s something you can claim now, even in the in-between.

Ready to Go Deeper?

If you're feeling that pull to reconnect with yourself, you're not alone—and you don't have to navigate it alone either.

Join us in the Busy Women Finding Balance community, where we talk about real-life strategies for tuning out the noise and tuning back into you.

You can also explore this website further for more free resources, personalized coaching, reflection tools, and support as you rewrite your story—one true, beautiful step at a time.