Where do you share your opinions?
There are places in your life where you may feel safe to say what you think. Amongst close friends, some well chosen colleagues or certain members of your family maybe. In some particular environments though, you may keep your thoughts and feelings to yourself for fear of judgement.
In this day and age, we are expected to have an opinion about everything. We do our best to keep up with the global conversation, and honestly it’s draining. (Even Barack Obama spoke out about this last week, in this video).
Nevertheless we try to stay on point, but when someone says something that goes against our grain we may find ourselves keeping quiet. And there’s a reason for that.
We are tribal by nature.
We instinctively (and evolutionarily) avoid conflict, because we want to fit in.
Now, for some people that’s not an issue. They say what they want to say, even if it’s brutal and with judgement.
But for many of us, we bite our tongue.
We hold back.
We swallow our words.
And here’s the thing: every time you swallow what you need to say, it builds up and then, eventually, it bursts out.
So what do we do…?
This week, set the intention to Speak Your Truth. Tune in to your thought processes – what keeps circling your awareness and what’s being left unsaid? Research the topic if you need to, including how to develop your confidence for speaking out. Maybe treat yourself to a new (sparkly) journal and start to note down what it is you really want to say, and why this matters to you so much. Write a pros and cons list if it helps identify the benefits of saying your piece. Then seek out like-minded people, who can help you articulate it fearlessly – and respectfully – as only you can. Look for opportunities to have your voice heard and speak from the “I person” eg if you’re not happy with the service you received in a restaurant you could say “I’d like to share some feedback with you. I’m a little disappointed with my experience here today. Can we work together to find a solution?”. Ultimately, find a way to put a voice to what you need to say, even if not everyone understands or likes it.
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Copyright Delphi Ellis
Helping You Sparkle™ 