Nikolas Voth: How to Build a Healthy Inner Monologue: The Two Ways of Honesty

“Talk to yourself like you talk to a good friend.” — What does that really mean?
Let me introduce you to two good friends worth talking to.
The first is The Friend of Cruelty; the second is The Friend of Compassion.

Two Friends
The Friend of Cruelty
The friend of cruelty looks straight at your flaws.
He slightly raises his chin, his gaze sharp and unyielding.
He speaks slowly, deliberately, his tone hard and unwavering:
“What will happen if you repeat the same mistakes?
It will weigh you down with the burden of a man who has lived a life of compromise.”
“Stop denying, stop lying to yourself. That’s what matters when the angel of death knocks at your door.”
“IIf you had started three years ago, you’d be exactly where you want to be right now. You’d be grateful to your past self.”
“You’ve fallen too hard to continue stumbling.
Blinded by the devil, now it’s time to regain God’s trust.
Accept your punishment with honor. The time for atonement has come.”
“Fight relentlessly, work harder.
You are capable of so much more.”
“Become your true self.”
The Friend of Compassion
She tilts her head, her eyes filled with empathy.
Her voice is soft, gentle, and reassuring:
“It’s okay. Everyone makes mistakes.
What if you accepted it and let it go?
You’d smile again, draw positivity into your life, and live without regrets.”
“Start embracing your madness. Speak what’s on your mind, and you will die with a spark of fulfillment in your eyes.”
“You fell for three years so you could rise again, now.
You are exactly where you are meant to be.”
“You have endured so much, nothing can touch you anymore.”
“You are worthy because your soul is a part of God’s soul.
All sins are already forgiven. Now it’s time for you to forgive yourself.”
“Relax. Enjoy the moment!
You are perfect as you are.”
“Stay true to yourself.”
Balancing the Voices
You’ve heard them both: the stern, unyielding voice of Cruelty and the gentle, forgiving tone of Compassion. At first glance, they seem to stand in opposition — one urging you to push harder, to hold yourself accountable, while the other encourages you to soften, to accept your imperfections.
But these voices aren’t enemies. They don’t exist to compete for dominance. They’re both here to guide you, in their own way, toward the same truth.
Cruelty speaks to your potential, to the strength you have yet to fully realize. Compassion speaks to your heart, reminding you of the worth you already carry. Both are your friends because both are honest.
So, what happens when these two friends finally sit down together — not as adversaries, but as allies?
Let them speak to you now in dialogue.
The Dialogue Between Cruelty and Compassion
Cruelty:
“You’ve faced this problem before. If you keep repeating the same behaviour, you’ll carry the burden of a man who is unrecognizable by his compromises.”
Compassion:
“True. But what if you accepted that burden and let it go? Everyone makes mistakes. What if, instead of punishing yourself, you allowed it to pass? You’d smile again, and bring positivity into your life.”
Cruelty:
“Smiling won’t fix what you’ve neglected. You’re wasting time. If you’d started three years ago, you’d be exactly where you want to be by now. You’d thank your past self for that.”
Compassion:
“But you’re here now, exactly where you’re supposed to be. What if those three years were preparing you to rise from this fall?”
Cruelty:
“You’ve fallen too hard to keep stumbling. Stop letting yourself be blinded by the devil. It’s time to regain the trust of god. Take your punishment with honour — atonement is overdue.”
Compassion:
“Atonement? How about Forgiveness? You’ve survived so much, nothing can break you anymore. The universe already forgave you. Now it’s time to forgive yourself.”
Cruelty:
“You’ve been too soft. Fight harder. Work harder. You are capable of so much more. Become your true self!”
Compassion:
“You are enough just as you are. Relax. Enjoy this moment.
Maybe the hardest battle is learning to trust that you are already whole.”
Finding Peace in Duality
As the dialogue between these two friends unfolds, it becomes clear that true peace doesn’t come from choosing sides. You don’t have to silence the voice of Cruelty to embrace Compassion, nor should you ignore Compassion in favour of relentless discipline. Both are part of the same inner dialogue, two sides of the same coin, each carrying their own wisdom.
The friend of Cruelty challenges you to rise, to confront your shortcomings, and push beyond them. The friend of Compassion invites you to rest, to heal, and to recognize the beauty in your imperfections. Together, they offer balance: the strength to grow and the grace to forgive.
So, instead of asking yourself which voice to follow, ask how you can let both guide you. How can you harness the power of Cruelty’s discipline without losing the softness of Compassion? How can you move forward with fierceness and kindness, hand in hand?
True peace lies not in silencing one voice, but in harmonizing both. When you listen to these friends together, that’s when you become your truest, most complete self. Find inner peace by learning cruel compassion.