| A Clarion Call to Take Back Your Voice-and Your Life Let’s talk about something that doesn’t get nearly enough airtime in a world full of filtered perfection and Pinterest-level performance: Your voice. Your truth. Your ability to express what’s actually going on inside that brilliant head of yours. Authentic expression isn’t a buzzword. It’s not a trend. It’s not something you “enhance” like a social post or a profile pie. It’s power. Period. But here’s what I’ve noticed-and maybe you’ve noticed it too: Most women are walking around like ghosts of themselves. They’re saying what they should say. Doing what they should do. Wearing the mask that gets them the gold star-or at least keeps them out of trouble. And do you know why? THAT is the expectation because that’s how we’ve been trained in this culture. To put up and shut up, to play nice, to “let him/them win”, to smile through the tears. And then we wonder why we feel stuck. Tired. Unseen. Like our dreams are locked behind a soundproof wall we can’t quite break through. Let me be clear about something that I know in my heart of hearts to be true: If you don’t express who you really are, your dreams will stay dreams. Because the woman who holds back her voice … is the same woman who holds back her vision. The woman who edits herself at the table … is the same woman who edits herself out of the opportunity. The woman who swallows her truth … is the same woman who slowly forgets what that truth even was. Now, understand, this is not about being louder. It’s about being braver. So What Is Authentic Expression, Really? In my mind, it’s the ultimate personal power. It’s saying what you mean. It’s owning your story—without softening it to make other people comfortable. It’s feeling safe in your own skin, not because you’re perfect, but because you’re honest. And yes, I know. Maybe that sounds terrifying. Maybe somewhere along the way, you were taught you were “too much,” “too emotional,” “too bold, ” or “too weird,” and you figured out early on to stay in authenticity would cost you love, safety, or belonging. So you learned to tame it. You toned it down. You rounded the edges. And you smiled all the way through it, didn’t you? That’s what I did. Every single time, I was told I was too … ANYTHING, I took it as gospel truth instead of analyzing it on its merit! This is how we crowdsource our identities, and it’s EXHAUSTING! Here’s the truth the world doesn’t want you to hear: When you cut yourself off from your truth, you cut yourself off from your energy. You are literally draining your life force trying to fit into boxes that were never made for you. The old square peg in a round hole song and dance. And when you do this, you’re muting your magic to be “palatable.” WHY do we do this? At what point do we say ENOUGH? And if you’re with me on this, let’s look at the ultimate do-over: RECLAIMING our authenticity. How Do You Reclaim It? We don’t have to overcomplicate this. It’s simply a matter of … Start telling the truth. Out loud. Even if your voice shakes. Even if no one claps. Even if it’s messy. Write what you actually want to say. Tell someone how you really feel. Say no when you mean no. Say yes when you mean hell to the yes. Stop trying to be the “nice girl,” the “chill girl,” the “cool mom,” or whatever cardboard cutout version of you the world has been selling. And btw, the word “girlie” and You don’t owe anyone your silence. You don’t owe anyone a watered-down version of yourself. And you definitely don’t owe anyone a performance. What you do owe … is YOU. To the real you. The one who still wants things. Who still dreams. Who still believes, somewhere deep down, that she was made for more than laundry, emails, and playing small. There’s Science, Too. (Because, of course.) When you are in alignment-when your words, your actions, and your truth match-your brain calms down. Your nervous system chills out. Your stress hormones drop. Your clarity sharpens. Your confidence rises. Why? Because your body finally gets the message: “I’m safe to be who I really am.” And when you feel safe? You stop performing. You start creating. You start moving. You start living. So Here’s the Invitation: If your life feels like it’s missing something … If your energy’s shot … If your voice feels like it’s trapped somewhere between your belly and your throat … This is the sign. This is the call. Take your voice back. Take your truth back. Take your life back. Not in some perfect, polished way. But in a raw, wild, come-home-to-yourself kind of way. Because the world doesn’t need another nice, quiet, well-behaved woman. And you remember the famous quote, “Well-behaved women seldom make history.” That’s from a Pulitzer Prize-winning historian, Laurel Thatcher Ulrich, in 1976, because history often IGNORES women’s contributions. And why do you think that is? We shrink back, we behave, and we forget about our authentic voice. But the world NEEDS YOU! The real you. Unapologetic. Unfiltered. Unleashed. And when you finally speak from that place? Your dreams won’t be dreams anymore. They’ll be your life. |
