At Home With Your Voice
True belonging isn’t about being accepted for who you pretend to be it’s about being welcomed as who you really are.”
There comes a time when the voice inside you gets harder to ignore. For years, you may have softened it, silenced it, or buried it under the weight of keeping peace, keeping up appearances, or keeping things “fine.”
But eventually, that voice grows restless. It wants to be heard. It’s the voice that says this matters to me, even when no one else gets it. It’s the voice that whispers enough when the old ways don’t fit anymore.
For me, finding my voice hasn’t always been graceful. Sometimes it cracked. Sometimes it shouted into what at the time felt like a gaping void. Sometimes I stayed quiet, not wanting to make waves or to out myself as someone I didn’t use to be.
It takes time to be comfortable speaking your truth. Often, you lose people in the process, and I definitely have. You’ll learn over time that that just might be OK.
Not everyone can adapt with you, and it’s not helpful at all if you force it.
This “new you” will develop as they grow and welcome the new friends who are drawn to your true self. Your people will find you.
Your voice doesn’t have to be polished or perfect. It just has to be yours.
Reflections for You
Take a moment (or 6) to consider these simple questions and see how they feel for you. What might you keep, and what might you change? Journaling is good here.
Where in my life do I hold back words I long to say?
What truths have I swallowed to keep others comfortable?
When do I feel most at ease speaking freely?
How might my life change if I trusted my voice more often?
Gentle Practices
Take it to the next step with some gentle practices that support your curiosity and willingness to seek out your voice.
Whisper to Yourself: Say out loud something you’ve only let yourself think. Hear how it feels in your own voice.
Safe Share: Tell one trusted friend or journal entry a truth you’ve been holding back.
Boundary Practice: Say a gentle but firm no in one small situation where you’d normally give in.
Voice of Joy: Share out loud something that excites or delights you, even if it feels silly.