Is That Even a Real Voice?
Reflections on feedback, fear, and showing up anyway.
I recently shared a new recorded practice on my favourite meditation app, and I was startled to read comments assuming my voice was AI-generated.
My husband joked that this could be taken as a compliment to AI — but it hit differently for me.
The irony? When I go out of my way to not alter my voice at all — no filters, no editing, no sweetening — that’s when I hear the most about how fake or robotic it sounds.
It’s funny in one way, but also... not.
Especially when you're trying to show up honestly.
What stands out in all this:
You can’t please everyone.
Even when your heart is in it.
Even when you put in the hours and immense effort.No matter how intentional you are in keeping things human — raw, conversational, unfiltered — people will still project their doubt.
And most of all, I’m noticing how much fear and mistrust we’re holding these days.
“We do not see things as they are. We see them as we are.”
— Anaïs Nin
Are we even sure of who we are? Where are we placing our value? Do we even trust ourselves anymore?
As a younger teacher, I was taught to value constructive criticism — to seek it out, give it freely, and always be open to it.
But with time, I’ve learned:
Feedback is a slippery slope.
I’m unlearning the need to constantly ask for it.
To depend on it.
To place too much value on it — especially from strangers online.
Yes, some of the mistrust out there is valid.
But we’re also losing the thread when it comes to critical thinking.
We react before we pause.
We attack before we ask.
We assume before we understand.
This really isn’t about my voice — or even about AI.
It’s about how we’re letting our fears absentmindedly deliver the feedback.
And there is always a choice to make space for human connection with responses that are curious. Conversational.
And even... quiet.
I’m not mad, and I’m not sad.
This isn’t a cry for appreciation or validation.
I get that it’s easy to assume.
I get that this is part of the price for being visible.
I’m not expecting any of us to be perfect.
I’m just hoping for more awareness.
A gentle nudge:
Do your research.
Find the evidence.
Take a breath.
Before getting carried away with doubt and fear, ask yourself:
How is this helpful?
Who is this serving?
What narrative do my comments serve?
Is this helping to uplift humanity?
There’s a real person on the other side.
There’s still room for nuance.
Let’s not forget that.
Even if it was AI—who cares? People get so hung up on how something was made that they miss the fact that it actually meant something. If it made you feel something, made you stop scrolling for half a second, that’s the win.
The whole “this sounds like AI” thing? It’s rarely about the words. It’s usually someone looking for an easy way to brush off a message they’re not ready to sit with. That kind of comment says more about them than about what was written.
I mean, come on—Diet Coke is 100% lab magic. Nobody thinks it’s harvested from pristine springs. And yet people still reach for it because it does something. It hits. That’s all that matters.
And anybody who actually knows you, Carolyn, knows the vibe shifts the second you walk into a room. You don’t need to prove anything—you just are. So forget whoever tried to knock you down for how your words showed up. Seriously. Fuck that person.
Maybe a human wrote this. Maybe it was AI. But if you’re still reading it, still thinking about it—then it worked. Everything else is just noise.
When I leave feedback now online, I try to add value, to be constructive, and also acknowledge that something wasn't for me in that moment. I do think we can go down a feedback rabbit hole, so it's always good to step back and consider who is giving feedback, is it helpful/constructive, and all of us could benefit from taking a breath before sharing 💚