Prove Life Wrong: The Whisper That Holds You Back

October 30, 2025

Morath Mirë Talas

Morath Mirë Talas (pronunciation: [MOH-rath MEE-reh TAH-lahs]) — “Fear beside Truth”

Morath (to fear): the shadow — the echo that questions purpose.
Mirë (with): the thread — inseparable connection, implying coexistence.
Talas (truth): the light — clarity that still exists even when obscured.

Together, they form the eternal duality: truth and fear are woven into the same thread, just as light defines shadow.

Fear Beside Truth

That statement at the beginning of this post is about self-doubt — something I struggle with on a daily basis.

The words come from a language I’ve been developing for my next project — some may call it “an interwoven musical saga.” It all begins tomorrow, Friday, October 31, 2025 (Halloween!) with the release of the first single, “Whispers of the Witch (The Haunting).”

I’ll be revealing more over the coming months as that story unfolds. Yet, even with that single about to drop, I’m keeping most details about the full project a secret — a mystery for now.

But the reason I’m mentioning it at all… is because of self-doubt.
Because I still hear those whispers — every… damned… day.

A voice telling me this is a silly idea.
A voice telling me it’s not good enough.
A voice telling me I’m not worthy.

Why? Why, after so many years of creating and sharing, does self-doubt still creep in right before I release something new?

I think I finally understand part of the answer — and that’s what this post is about:
The whisper in your head that tries to hold you back from reaching your goals.

Maybe you’ve heard that whisper too —
the one that sounds calm, reasonable, even protective.

But it’s not.
That whisper doesn’t shield you — it holds you back.

And I know I’m not the only one who hears it.
We all do.
It’s quiet, convincing, and full of reasons why we shouldn’t even try.
But those reasons aren’t truth — they’re fear in disguise.

The Whisper That Holds You Back

There’s a voice we all know — the quiet whisper that creeps in when the world goes still.
It sounds calm. Rational. Protective, even.
It tells you not to risk it. Not to reach too high. Not to hope too much.

But that whisper doesn’t protect you — it holds you back.

Facing the Witch Within

That image above — that’s our visual representation of fear for this post.

With my new single “Whispers of the Witch (The Haunting)” releasing tomorrow, I’m juggling a dozen things to make sure everything’s lined up — that all my ducks are in a row so the song has the best chance to step into the world strong.

The witch’s face in that image is part of the digital campaign for the release, but it also feels fitting as the embodiment of that inner voice — the one that feeds self-doubt.

Even as I type this, that whisper’s here with me.
Telling me, “My gods, man, you’re going to bore them to death before you even get to your point.”
And maybe it’s right — maybe some will feel that way.

But that’s the curse of being a creative, isn’t it?
Every single thing I make, I question.

“How can this look better?”
“How can this sound better?”
“How can this read better?”

Then the voice cuts in again:
“This sucks. No one’s going to like this.”

Living in the Shadows

For most of my life, I kind of lived in the shadows of others. I didn’t share my opinions out of fear they weren’t “good enough” — or worse, because I’d literally been told, “no one cares about your opinion.”

That was my reality. I was treated like a third-class passenger in a first-class relationship.

Any time I wanted to do the things I loved — study what inspired me, chase a dream, or create something meaningful — I was made to feel it was silly. Pointless. Not worth anyone’s time.

“The kind of music you make isn’t good enough.”
“No one cares about that story you want to tell.”
“It’s not important.”
“It’s a waste of time.”
“Don’t buy that musical equipment — it’s a waste of money.”

Those words stick. They sink deep. And over time, they make you feel unworthy — of success, of joy, of trying. It took me years to shake that off. Years to rebuild the creative spirit that had been crushed by someone else’s idea of what mattered.

I wanted to take risks when I was young, but I was told “no.”
I sold my gear because “that stuff isn’t important.”
I was told to focus on a career they thought was best for me.

Don’t ever let anyone tell you that.

Even now, I still get that kind of energy from some people — but I’ve learned to tune it out.

Because yes, we have to be adults. We have responsibilities. But responsibility doesn’t mean surrender. You can take care of your family and still chase your dream. Those two things aren’t enemies — they’re partners.

And that’s where the other voice comes in.

Learning to Listen

My wife reminds me often that sometimes she doesn’t need me to fix anything — she just needs to talk. She’ll say, “Get off your support stool,” or “Take off your developer hat,” and just listen.

That’s hard for me, because my entire career has been built around solving problems. I was literally goaled on it — rewarded for creating solutions. When I couldn’t fix something, it drove me crazy.

So when she’s upset, my instinct is to find a phone booth, change into my costume, and go full Superman mode — save the day, fix the issue, fight the bad guy, or at least run to the store and grab whatever was forgotten.

But she doesn’t need rescuing.
She needs presence.
The solution is to listen.

And honestly, maybe I don’t need to be Superman.
Maybe I need to be Daredevil — the lawyer who listens, analyzes, and finds truth in what’s said.
Or maybe Rorschach — the observer who sees through illusion and faces the uncomfortable truths head-on.

Because when it comes to self-doubt, that’s what I need to do — listen.

I need to quiet the witch and listen to Positive Penny instead.

I’ve been working on that for years now, and while it’s still a battle, at least I’m fighting it differently. I’m no longer internalizing those old voices telling me my passions aren’t “worthy.”

Now, I have someone in my life who believes in me completely — who’s so insanely supportive it feels like living in a dream.

I’m being a responsible adult. I’m taking care of my family.
But I’m also chasing the dream.
I’m keeping the dream alive.

🎧 Keeping the dream alive – Listen here

The witch will always be there — whispering when you least expect it, sowing seeds of doubt. But you can flip the script.

Listen to the other voice.
The one that told you to begin in the first place.
The one that says, “I don’t know why you waited this long to chase your dream.”

And I guess in the end, that’s what I’m trying to tell you as a reader of this tome of word salad.

What are you waiting for?
Stop waiting for permission. Stop giving fear the final word.
You’ve already survived worse than failure — so what’s really left to lose?
The universe isn’t going to hand you a perfect moment; you’ve got to carve it out yourself.
Be louder than your whisper.
Fear doesn’t get the last line — you do.

I must not fear. Fear is the mind-killer. Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration. I will face my fear. I will permit it to pass over me and through me. And when it has gone past, I will turn the inner eye to see its path. Where the fear has gone there will be nothing. Only I will remain.

Frank Herbert, Dune

And that’s it, isn’t it?
Fear never really disappears — it just waits for the next quiet moment to whisper again.
But once you’ve faced it, once you’ve seen it for what it is, it loses its grip.

Simple Ways to Quiet the Whisper

Over time, I’ve learned that self-doubt never really disappears — you just get better at recognizing its disguise. And when it shows up, you don’t have to let it take over.

Here are a few simple things that help me quiet the whisper when it starts getting loud:

1. Say it out loud.
When that inner voice starts whispering, speak back to it.
Say, “I hear you — but I’m doing it anyway.”
Fear fades fast when it’s exposed to the light.

2. Keep a “Proof List.”
Every time you finish something — a song, a post, a sketch, even a small step forward — write it down.
That list becomes living proof that your whisper lies.

3. Borrow belief.
When your own confidence runs low, borrow it from someone who believes in you.
Read their message, replay their words, or remember the look in their eyes when they said, “You’ve got this.”

4. The 5-Minute Rule.
When doubt tells you not to start, tell yourself you’ll just do five minutes.
Write. Record. Sketch. Plan.
Fear can’t argue with momentum.

5. Replace the critic.
Give your inner voice a name — make it sound ridiculous.
Then imagine your supportive voice, the one that cheers for you, and turn its volume up instead.

6. End the day with one win.
Doesn’t matter how small.
An email sent, a note written, a quiet breath taken.
One win a day keeps the whisper away.

The truth is, silencing that voice isn’t about being fearless — it’s about learning to listen differently.
When you can separate truth from fear, you start to see what’s really possible.
That’s where you begin to prove life wrong.

Prove Life Wrong

Look, I’m not a real doctor or therapist — I just play one on TV.

If you’re truly struggling with fear, anxiety, or anything that feels like it’s taken hold of your life, please reach out to someone qualified to help.

But I do hope you find a little courage here — and maybe, just maybe, this post helps you take that next step forward.

Because the truth is, Morath Mirë Talas isn’t just a phrase. It’s a reminder.
Fear and truth will always exist beside each other — woven into the same thread.
You can’t have one without the other.

But what matters is which one you choose to listen to.

Every time you create something, share something, or take a risk, you’re standing in that space between the two — shadow and light, fear and truth. One whispers to hold you back, and the other quietly reminds you why you started.

You don’t have to silence the whisper completely. You just have to speak louder.
To act. To move. To keep dreaming, even when your hands shake.

That’s what this journey is about — not perfection, not fearlessness, but courage.
The courage to face the witch within and still step forward.
The courage to believe in your story when the world says it’s not important.

So the next time that whisper tells you to stop — prove it wrong.
Prove life wrong.

Previous posts in this series...