I’ve lost count but I meet new ones all the time. I think my diagnosis is more along the lines of that other one you spoke of, but each of the people on my bus feel like love in their own way—that resonates—because even the scary ones seem to act out of a need to protect me.
Earlier this year I was introduced to something called internal family systems theory that has been used in therapy for a long time. It talks about this and how we all as individuals contain multitudes. Those voices and personalities that are inside your head and share your body are common, though none of us talk about them to one another. I'm not sure how many I have in total, but I know it's the little purple fairy that's my voice of encouragement. I know my anxiety presents as bees flying frenetically thru my brain. There's a big green grumpy dude in there that tries to be mean and tell me I'm not worthy of the things that I deeply know I am. There's more that I don't yet know how to connect with and talk to, but it's a really cool theory and explains so much. You contain multitudes and they all act out of love for you every day and with every action. That alone should help each of us feel a bit better about ourselves. We love us and it's all powerful.
It's like a light came on when I heard about it and then when I was reading about it suddenly everything made more sense about my internal dialogue. It's such an interesting concept
Oooh, now I need to dive much deeper into this. This makes me even more happy I spoke all this aloud. Knowing there are more that feel it is such a comfort.
There are certainly many mes living inside. It’s interesting how different ones manifest on different days. I believe that we are all made of multitudes. That’s all part of the human experience.
So glad you braved getting to know all 400-ish that live inside. What a work that is! I appreciate and admire the pursuit. In the words of Dr. Suess, “Nobody can be you-er than you!” Thank you for sharing this part of the journey with us.
I've been absent from this group for a bit, as I'm working through finding myself again in a year of complete upheaval and unthinkable grief. That said, this post resonates with me, because in this journey I'm on, I can't help but feel like the "new" version is really just someone who was always there, but is now stepping forward to take a turn in the driver's seat. I don't know how many mes are in there, but I know that we are in this together, and a lifetime of survival has taught each of us the lessons we need to hold it all together somehow. When one of us grows weary, another steps forward to take the lead for a bit. Now my challenge is to find the voice that will carry me on to my next career, whatever that is. (I lost my job in September, and after 20+ years of doing technical writing, I don't think I want to do it anymore.) It's time to pivot, and figure out what will pay my bills in the future.
Your absence has been felt, and I've been hoping all is ok! I hope you know we're always here should you need us, Always. I cannot wait for your "New" person that's always been there to take you to "new" places that have always been waiting to love you. I cannot wait to see what's next.
I will be okay, it's just going to take some time. Since April, three of my dogs have gone to the Rainbow Bridge, and the last one was unexpected. He had health issues, but he was under a vet's care and had been improving. When he collapsed and then died in my arms, just 6 weeks after the previous one and a month after I lost my job to AI, it was more than my already bruised heart could handle and I was broken for a bit. I'm putting myself back together, and time will tell what direction I take from here. Thank you for ths kind words - it helps to know people out there do care. ❤️
Oh my goodness, so much in such a short time. I am so so sorry. UGH. This is too much to handle, I know, and I just hope it gets easier, gets softer. I mean it, we're here. Always.
Thank you for letting us know you better, Tyler! Connection comes through vulnerability and I'm glad you feel safe enough to share. This fascinates me and I'm curious to learn more about you and others who have Many Themes inside as well.
I am neurotypical and do not feel like there are many mes inside my current brain but I have a similar thing happen with Past Life Mes. :D There are three of them that I've connected with. I've made an assumption about two more but haven't felt anything specific yet, just breadcrumbs so far.
Mes ... first off, I want to thank you for the music you offer. "Kiss Breakdown" is lovely and poignant and heartbreaking, yet full of desirous hope. I've saved it and will explore the artist.
But, Mes. I have always had two strong voices 'in my head'. One is strong and brave and often asks me if I'm ok. The other is not friendly to me and very discouraging. I try to mother it, but some of the voice/words came from my mother, so there's that.
There is a gentle, benevolent one, the one who asked me as I sat crying on the psych ward while being admitted, "are you going to stay or go? You have to make the decision now."[We all know how that turned out.] They stayed with me for quite some time. There was actually more than one, like a choir or chorus, and they appeared over my right shoulder. Always. I called them my guardians ... or angels for lack of better words that others could understand. My psychiatrist at the time found it very interesting, but was not concerned. I loved him for that ... and he was just the one I needed at the time. Maybe he knew it was IFS. [Which I must look up now.]
Now I have different Mes to get me through work. The extrovert who, somehow, can small talk with the customers [very tiring for me as I am a sensitive introvert in real life.] and the hyper-focused one who gets things done. There may be others, but they have yet to emerge.
It's so nice to hear others commenting on the 'people', or voices. One of the reasons that I am happy I found everyone here ... and you made this all possible!
Have you ever seen Sense8? It's a fascinating show about others stepping into each other when they need extra help. 8 of them all together. It was on Netflix. I hope it still is. I felt a kinship to it ... it helped to possibly explain a lot of things.
Gayle, that record is one of my most favorite. I put it on and just let it repeat over and over again. I am obsessed. Also, tell your strong brave "me" to tell the mean "me" to wise up, to calm down, and to keep their negativity to themselves. Eventually, the brave me will win out, every time. All our "mes" have a place, but it's up to us to keep them in it haha.
I’ve lost count but I meet new ones all the time. I think my diagnosis is more along the lines of that other one you spoke of, but each of the people on my bus feel like love in their own way—that resonates—because even the scary ones seem to act out of a need to protect me.
I too lose count. They just keep being born out of the most random times and situations.
Yes!!!! And then it’s like, hello—who are you and where have you been hiding?!
Earlier this year I was introduced to something called internal family systems theory that has been used in therapy for a long time. It talks about this and how we all as individuals contain multitudes. Those voices and personalities that are inside your head and share your body are common, though none of us talk about them to one another. I'm not sure how many I have in total, but I know it's the little purple fairy that's my voice of encouragement. I know my anxiety presents as bees flying frenetically thru my brain. There's a big green grumpy dude in there that tries to be mean and tell me I'm not worthy of the things that I deeply know I am. There's more that I don't yet know how to connect with and talk to, but it's a really cool theory and explains so much. You contain multitudes and they all act out of love for you every day and with every action. That alone should help each of us feel a bit better about ourselves. We love us and it's all powerful.
I learned about IFS this year too and had that pop into my mind reading today’s Signal Fire! Happy to see another talk about it :)
It's like a light came on when I heard about it and then when I was reading about it suddenly everything made more sense about my internal dialogue. It's such an interesting concept
Oooh, now I need to dive much deeper into this. This makes me even more happy I spoke all this aloud. Knowing there are more that feel it is such a comfort.
Yes!! Please check out IFS by Richard Schwartz.
There are certainly many mes living inside. It’s interesting how different ones manifest on different days. I believe that we are all made of multitudes. That’s all part of the human experience.
Many mes people are the best people, aren't they?! Whitman got it right.
We came from many,
But often stand off as one;
As trees in forests.
We are more than one.
And carry the collective;
Hidden from our past.
Little to offer?
Yet here with much baggage?
Come share your burden!
Stay! Share with us!
Keep not your treasures inside.
With them, we are blessed.
No man an island?
True enough, we are much more,
Like mountains in seas!
Ahhh what a poem, and what an ending!
Love this and how wonderful you know it and can explain it to us! We woudn’t want you any other way as I’m sure your family feels the same.
I find explaining things in my weird brain is the biggest challenge of all. I still try, but oof.
So glad you braved getting to know all 400-ish that live inside. What a work that is! I appreciate and admire the pursuit. In the words of Dr. Suess, “Nobody can be you-er than you!” Thank you for sharing this part of the journey with us.
So glad I did too haha, and there just keeps being more and more people showing up haha. You're amazing, thank you for being here!
I've been absent from this group for a bit, as I'm working through finding myself again in a year of complete upheaval and unthinkable grief. That said, this post resonates with me, because in this journey I'm on, I can't help but feel like the "new" version is really just someone who was always there, but is now stepping forward to take a turn in the driver's seat. I don't know how many mes are in there, but I know that we are in this together, and a lifetime of survival has taught each of us the lessons we need to hold it all together somehow. When one of us grows weary, another steps forward to take the lead for a bit. Now my challenge is to find the voice that will carry me on to my next career, whatever that is. (I lost my job in September, and after 20+ years of doing technical writing, I don't think I want to do it anymore.) It's time to pivot, and figure out what will pay my bills in the future.
Your absence has been felt, and I've been hoping all is ok! I hope you know we're always here should you need us, Always. I cannot wait for your "New" person that's always been there to take you to "new" places that have always been waiting to love you. I cannot wait to see what's next.
I will be okay, it's just going to take some time. Since April, three of my dogs have gone to the Rainbow Bridge, and the last one was unexpected. He had health issues, but he was under a vet's care and had been improving. When he collapsed and then died in my arms, just 6 weeks after the previous one and a month after I lost my job to AI, it was more than my already bruised heart could handle and I was broken for a bit. I'm putting myself back together, and time will tell what direction I take from here. Thank you for ths kind words - it helps to know people out there do care. ❤️
Oh my goodness, so much in such a short time. I am so so sorry. UGH. This is too much to handle, I know, and I just hope it gets easier, gets softer. I mean it, we're here. Always.
Thank you for letting us know you better, Tyler! Connection comes through vulnerability and I'm glad you feel safe enough to share. This fascinates me and I'm curious to learn more about you and others who have Many Themes inside as well.
I am neurotypical and do not feel like there are many mes inside my current brain but I have a similar thing happen with Past Life Mes. :D There are three of them that I've connected with. I've made an assumption about two more but haven't felt anything specific yet, just breadcrumbs so far.
Mes ... first off, I want to thank you for the music you offer. "Kiss Breakdown" is lovely and poignant and heartbreaking, yet full of desirous hope. I've saved it and will explore the artist.
But, Mes. I have always had two strong voices 'in my head'. One is strong and brave and often asks me if I'm ok. The other is not friendly to me and very discouraging. I try to mother it, but some of the voice/words came from my mother, so there's that.
There is a gentle, benevolent one, the one who asked me as I sat crying on the psych ward while being admitted, "are you going to stay or go? You have to make the decision now."[We all know how that turned out.] They stayed with me for quite some time. There was actually more than one, like a choir or chorus, and they appeared over my right shoulder. Always. I called them my guardians ... or angels for lack of better words that others could understand. My psychiatrist at the time found it very interesting, but was not concerned. I loved him for that ... and he was just the one I needed at the time. Maybe he knew it was IFS. [Which I must look up now.]
Now I have different Mes to get me through work. The extrovert who, somehow, can small talk with the customers [very tiring for me as I am a sensitive introvert in real life.] and the hyper-focused one who gets things done. There may be others, but they have yet to emerge.
It's so nice to hear others commenting on the 'people', or voices. One of the reasons that I am happy I found everyone here ... and you made this all possible!
Have you ever seen Sense8? It's a fascinating show about others stepping into each other when they need extra help. 8 of them all together. It was on Netflix. I hope it still is. I felt a kinship to it ... it helped to possibly explain a lot of things.
Gayle, that record is one of my most favorite. I put it on and just let it repeat over and over again. I am obsessed. Also, tell your strong brave "me" to tell the mean "me" to wise up, to calm down, and to keep their negativity to themselves. Eventually, the brave me will win out, every time. All our "mes" have a place, but it's up to us to keep them in it haha.