Your Inner Voice Is Not Too Loud—It’s the Map
Pamela Larde • May 18, 2025
Vision Begins Within
On Friday, I had the opportunity to speak to a global group of coaches about what it means to acknowledge and honor our inner voice. This is inspired by my absolute favorite chapter of my book, Joyfully Single
- Chapter 8: Give Voice to Your Inner Voice. It was a life-giving experience to talk it out with this group of fellow coaches. The session was called “Giving Voice to Your Inner Voice: The Brave Work of Becoming Fully Known… to Yourself.” I'd love to share what I came away with, even as the facilitator of that deeply impactful session.
Vision is often described in terms of strategy... goals, growth plans, and long-term direction. But what I've found is some of the most meaningful guidance doesn’t come from planning tools or timelines. It rises from within. Our inner voice may surface through instinct, tension, a persistent idea, or a gentle reminder of what matters most to the soul. When we learn to recognize and respect this voice, we strengthen the connection between our leadership and our well-being.
Joy, Voice, and Alignment
Over the years, in my research and coaching, I’ve seen that joy is much deeper than an emotional experience. It’s a way of aligning how we live and lead. And alignment requires listening. Especially when what we hear comes from the quiet spaces we’ve overlooked. The inner voice often speaks through patterns. It calls attention to what feels misaligned. It reawakens parts of us that may have been set aside because they didn’t yet feel safe - like a hidden talent, an unspoken belief, or a lifelong dream we are afraid to bring to life.
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Shadow Work Is Reconnection
This is where the conversation about voice leads us to another important layer: shadow work. We often think of our shadows as things to hide or correct. But I’ve come to understand them differently. Our shadows are not inherently negative. They are often the parts of ourselves we haven’t explored. They were formed in response to past experiences—moments where protection became a priority. These parts stay in the background because that’s where safety was once found.
This view is supported by Dr. Richard Schwartz, creator of Internal Family Systems therapy and author of No Bad Parts. He teaches that all of our internal parts serve a purpose, even the ones that appear disruptive or out of sync. They may have taken on difficult roles, but they emerged to help us endure something hard. When approached with curiosity, these parts often reveal valuable insight and strength.
Shadow work, then, is not about fixing something. It’s about reconnecting. It invites us to hear the messages those parts are carrying and to integrate their wisdom into how we lead, relate, and grow. This work strengthens the clarity of our inner voice. When we listen across the full range of who we are, including the parts that have been quiet, we begin to build from a deeper place. That’s where sustainable leadership and personal direction come from.
The Research on Self-Awareness and Leadership
According to organizational psychologist Dr. Tasha Eurich, most people believe they are self-aware, but only about 10–15% truly are. Closing that gap starts with reflection and honest attention to what’s happening internally. And it continues with practices that create space for deeper listening.
In The Practice of Adaptive Leadership, Ronald Heifetz encourages us to spend time “on the balcony”—noticing the patterns in our work and responses. Your inner voice is often the one inviting you to pause, observe, and name what’s happening beneath the surface.
Ways to Begin Listening
Here are a few ways to begin or continue that work:
- Notice where your energy rises and where it becomes depleted
- Reflect on formative experiences and the beliefs they may have shaped
- Observe the patterns in your work and relationships
- Explore what parts of yourself you’ve paused or softened to fit in
- Make time for silence, writing, or conversations that allow for reflection
There’s a quote I often return to by Rumi: “Maybe you are searching among the branches for what only appears in the roots.” Your inner voice often lives in those roots. It carries your insight, your story, your direction. It is not too loud. It is ready to be heard. And it just may be your clearest map forward.
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