I’m tired. So tired. Do you catch your brain popping up with little observations throughout your day? Some of us have very verbal minds. Like the voiceover in a movie or TV show, that inner monologue may narrate our day, hold internal debates, or just pop up with random observations. Mmm, chocolate. Do you listen to that inner voice? Or do you tend to tune it out?
Not Everyone Has an Inner Monologue
If you, like me, have a very chatty mind, it may be hard to wrap your brain around the notion of not having an inner voice. Yet, apparently, not everyone has an inner monologue. Some people go through their whole lives without thinking in words. They may think in images, emotions, or sensory feelings.
For those who do have an inner monologue, it may be just a few words here and there. It may take focus to intentionally think in words, or it may be an effortless, near-constant stream of words. There can be just one voice or multiple voices, like when practicing an upcoming conversation or arguing an idea from different perspectives.
As a yoga teacher, I’ve had some students tell me that they hear my voice in their minds, encouraging them to breathe through tough times. Similarly, I’ve heard my own mentors words when I’m looking for guidance.
As a writer, my mind is often filled with imagined conversations from characters in my books and stories.
What is Your Inner Monologue Saying?
I woke up the other morning and heard my inner voice say, I’m so tired. The thought seemed out of place, since I had just woken up. But I was tired. I’d had a restless night, had still woken up at the first sign of daylight, and my brain wasn’t happy about it.
If I didn’t have that inner monologue, how would I have known I hadn’t slept well? There were sensory clues. Like heavy eyelids that didn’t want to stay open. And there were emotional clues, in the sense of feeling weary and irritable. There were also visual clues, as I had a picture in my mind of cozy bed, making me not want to out from under the covers.
My internal voice was right about being tired that morning. But is it always right? Not really. There are times when I might think I’m hungry, even though I just ate a full meal. Am I really hungry? The feeling of fullness in my stomach would disagree, but that doesn’t stop the verbal thoughts: Mmm, chocolate! Oh, potato chips! So hungry! So, what’s up with that?
Maybe in those moments, my inner monologue is noticing some other need and confusing it with a hunger for food. If it’s after dinner, with bedtime approaching, maybe I haven’t had enough social time or play time during the day. Maybe my brain is noticing a hunger for conversation or fun and confusing it with a need for food.
Expanding Your Inner Conversations
When you’re talking to another person, a large part of the communication is non-verbal. Your brain is picking up on many clues, like tone of voice, facial expressions, and hand gestures. If you’re used to listening to a strong inner monologue, are you missing some internal, non-verbal clues?
My internal voice often says things that aren’t true. Especially when I’m feeling anxious, tired, disappointed, or overwhelmed. I’ve heard many negative rants about my perceived shortcomings, complaints about others, or general discontent. Yet, if I pull away from those upsetting words, I notice feelings of tension, fear, and doubt. That inner monologue isn’t a reliable observation; it’s a laundry list of fears.
Emotional and sensory awareness are skills that can be improved with practice. One way to practice is with a guided meditation designed to help you set aside the inner voice and tune in on bodily sensations. Linking bodily sensations with emotions–like a churning stomach with anxiety–can also strengthen your non-verbal inner conversations.
Are There Benefits in Non-Verbal Thought?
Lately, I’ve been trying to purposefully turn off my inner monologue during random moments throughout my day. Setting aside the verbal thoughts to spend more time with my other forms of thinking. As a very verbal thinker, I find it really challenging to do that outside of a meditation or yoga practice. Yet, the more I quiet the verbal thoughts and focus on imagery and bodily sensation, the easier it’s becoming to explore those other approaches toward thinking.
Now, instead of being distracted with Mmm chocolate, my mind can stay quiet and tempt me with an image of chocolate cake. So that’s…. progress? Seriously though, a combination of verbal thoughts, imagery, and bodily sensations may get me closer to an idea my body is trying to process. Do the verbal thoughts, images, and bodily sensations match up? If not, why not? What is that telling me?
I don’t think there’s anything better or worse about having an inner monologue vs. thinking in images or feelings. But I do like to explore my mind’s abilities, and I think any conversation is better when you stay open to all the clues you are receiving.