{"id":4525,"date":"2025-09-21T09:47:38","date_gmt":"2025-09-21T04:17:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.gavel.cmb.ac.lk\/?p=4525"},"modified":"2025-09-21T10:23:18","modified_gmt":"2025-09-21T04:53:18","slug":"the-voices-in-my-head","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.gavel.cmb.ac.lk\/?p=4525","title":{"rendered":"The Voices in My Head"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Several weeks ago, I texted Amrah akki and asked if I could write an article for the blog. She replied, &#8220;Sure, would you mind sending it this week?&#8221; I refused. I said that I was too busy that week.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>She texted me the week after. I said I couldn&#8217;t and that I have too much work that week as well. She texted me several weeks after that. Then I agreed. It was actually the week that I had the most work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>She reached out to me on Sunday that week. I thought that I\u2019ll start writing it on Monday so that it is out of the way. And today&#8217;s Thursday, past 9 p.m. The deadline is Saturday morning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Wondering why I didn\u2019t start it on Friday? Well, I\u2019m not free this Friday. So, if it was a typical week, I would\u2019ve started writing this on Friday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It took me several days or actually weeks to feel okay with putting my thoughts into words and into something like this. The reason I had refused and pushed it back? Not because I was actually way too busy to the point that I couldn&#8217;t write it, but because I was too scared.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/www.gavel.cmb.ac.lk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/WhatsApp-Image-2025-09-20-at-18.01.59-768x1024.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-4530\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.gavel.cmb.ac.lk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/WhatsApp-Image-2025-09-20-at-18.01.59-768x1024.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/www.gavel.cmb.ac.lk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/WhatsApp-Image-2025-09-20-at-18.01.59-225x300.jpeg 225w, https:\/\/www.gavel.cmb.ac.lk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/WhatsApp-Image-2025-09-20-at-18.01.59.jpeg 900w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>I was too scared to start. Too scared that I won&#8217;t be able to write something &#8220;mind-blowing&#8221;. Too scared that my words aren\u2019t &#8220;big enough&#8221;. Too scared of what people would think. Too scared to get compared.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ever since I was little, I have been the \u201cperfect daughter\u201d. I have had high marks for exams when it mattered. I have been way too forward. I have been appointed to several leadership positions. To everyone who looks at me from afar, I am that &#8220;perfect girl&#8221;.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"736\" height=\"1022\" src=\"https:\/\/www.gavel.cmb.ac.lk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/WhatsApp-Image-2025-09-20-at-18.02.02.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-4533\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.gavel.cmb.ac.lk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/WhatsApp-Image-2025-09-20-at-18.02.02.jpeg 736w, https:\/\/www.gavel.cmb.ac.lk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/WhatsApp-Image-2025-09-20-at-18.02.02-216x300.jpeg 216w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 736px) 100vw, 736px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>But for me, I&#8217;m the most introverted, socially awkward person who can&#8217;t even stand awkward silences. More than actually doing something and failing, I&#8217;m scared to even start. I&#8217;m more scared of what is yet to come than what is actually happening right now. I am someone who keeps things till the very last moment, not because I can&#8217;t do it, but because I\u2019m scared of what others will think.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When I have been the &#8220;perfect, high-achieving&#8221; daughter to my parents, how can I disappoint them? How can I disappoint others? How can I not meet the \u201cstandard\u201d? Sometimes, more than disappointing others, I&#8217;m worried that I would disappoint myself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I have always loved acting. I loved the amount of passion and hard work that was put into to create something so magical. To me, the stage felt like home. That was where I felt like I could break free from who I actually was. But most of the time, I did not give it my best. I held back. Something was holding me back from letting myself go.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"481\" height=\"500\" src=\"https:\/\/www.gavel.cmb.ac.lk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/WhatsApp-Image-2025-09-20-at-18.02.03-1.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-4532\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.gavel.cmb.ac.lk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/WhatsApp-Image-2025-09-20-at-18.02.03-1.jpeg 481w, https:\/\/www.gavel.cmb.ac.lk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/WhatsApp-Image-2025-09-20-at-18.02.03-1-289x300.jpeg 289w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 481px) 100vw, 481px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>After A\/Ls, I wanted to join a theatre group. But one whole year later, I never took up the chance to go to an audition. I was scared that I won&#8217;t be good enough. I was scared that I\u2019d get laughed at.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>These are <strong>the voices that run in my head <\/strong>every single day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Even while I&#8217;m writing this, I&#8217;m struggling. Still thinking about what others would think after this is posted. If they will relate or if they will find this boring or if this wouldn\u2019t meet the \u201cstandard\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"736\" height=\"736\" src=\"https:\/\/www.gavel.cmb.ac.lk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/WhatsApp-Image-2025-09-20-at-18.02.00.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-4536\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.gavel.cmb.ac.lk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/WhatsApp-Image-2025-09-20-at-18.02.00.jpeg 736w, https:\/\/www.gavel.cmb.ac.lk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/WhatsApp-Image-2025-09-20-at-18.02.00-300x300.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/www.gavel.cmb.ac.lk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/WhatsApp-Image-2025-09-20-at-18.02.00-150x150.jpeg 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 736px) 100vw, 736px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>But the thing is, maybe I just have to take a deep breath, let it all go and start that dreadful thing I&#8217;ve always wanted to do but was too scared to start.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Why am I always so scared like a prisoner trapped in my thoughts? I feel like a puppet that&#8217;s controlled by others, by their &#8220;standards&#8221;. Maybe I should be a little softer for myself. Maybe I should give myself a break. Maybe I should relax. And maybe, at one point, I will be a little more comfortable with pushing myself beyond the boundary that I\u2019ve set for myself. Because to know whether I actually feel comfortable doing something, I guess it has to be uncomfortable at one point.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"514\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/www.gavel.cmb.ac.lk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/WhatsApp-Image-2025-09-20-at-18.02.00-1-514x1024.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-4535\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.gavel.cmb.ac.lk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/WhatsApp-Image-2025-09-20-at-18.02.00-1-514x1024.jpeg 514w, https:\/\/www.gavel.cmb.ac.lk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/WhatsApp-Image-2025-09-20-at-18.02.00-1-151x300.jpeg 151w, https:\/\/www.gavel.cmb.ac.lk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/WhatsApp-Image-2025-09-20-at-18.02.00-1.jpeg 736w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 514px) 100vw, 514px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Well, if you actually think about it, everyone&#8217;s too busy thinking about themselves to even think about others, just like what I am doing right now. We too are so hung up on ourselves and about what others think about us to realize that everyone else is you. Everyone has <strong>these voices in their head.<\/strong> And even now, rather than thinking if I&#8217;ve done a good job writing this or not, maybe you&#8217;re thinking about something that you have let gone cause you at some point too was scared. Scared, of <strong>the voices in your head<\/strong>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Several weeks ago, I texted Amrah akki and asked if I could write an article for the blog. She replied, &#8220;Sure, would you mind sending it this week?&#8221; I refused. I said that I was too busy that week. She texted me the week after. I said I couldn&#8217;t and that I have too much [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":124283,"featured_media":4539,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mi_skip_tracking":false},"categories":[207],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gavel.cmb.ac.lk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4525"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gavel.cmb.ac.lk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gavel.cmb.ac.lk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gavel.cmb.ac.lk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/124283"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gavel.cmb.ac.lk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=4525"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.gavel.cmb.ac.lk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4525\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4542,"href":"https:\/\/www.gavel.cmb.ac.lk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4525\/revisions\/4542"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gavel.cmb.ac.lk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/4539"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gavel.cmb.ac.lk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=4525"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gavel.cmb.ac.lk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=4525"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gavel.cmb.ac.lk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=4525"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}