Have any of you ever felt like you don't have a voice? Like you are just fading into the background, going unseen by the rest of the crowd? Like you are standing in the middle of a crowded room, screaming at the top of your lungs and nobody even looks up?
To me, having a voice is similar to being heard and being seen.
Some people do not like to talk a lot, especially in front of people. For instance, introverts like me like to 'talk' to others by means of writing, sharing a picture, or even sharing the lyrics of a song. Having a voice does not necessarily mean that you have to verbally express yourself. Each and every one of us have unique abilities and talents and ways of expressing ourselves.
Extroverts like to express themselves by being outspoken and engaging in conversations with others. They are comfortable being in a setting where there is a large crowd, even if it is amongst people they don't know. Don't get me wrong, I am not saying that introverts are never heard or seen and that extroverts are always feeling satisfied in this regard. Not generalizing here.
From my point of view, everyone has a voice. Regardless of personality type, skin color, nationality, background and employment status.
Like I said before, you do not have to be loud in order to let your voice be heard. It's all about how you express yourself through your talents and special abilities. If you are a writer or love to write, that is your voice. If you like to dance and express yourself that way, that is your voice. The list goes on. Whether you are an artist, scientist, musician, leader, manager or whatever you are good at and feel passionate about, YOU HAVE A VOICE!
We can't always make a career out of the things that we love doing or are passionate about, but we should never stop expressing ourselves. We have to make time at least once a week to do the things we love and then pursue it!
We often think that we must first do a bunch of other stuff and then maybe, IF there is time, we will get to do that which is part of our very being. That very thing that makes you happy and makes you feel heard and seen. It will be different for everyone. The way I express myself will not be the same as another person's way of expressing him or herself. It does not have to be the same. That's where uniqueness comes in.
I have realized that expressing yourself really is a good thing, BUT then you have to express yourself toward the right people or through the right platform, otherwise it will be time and energy wasted. Personally, I have done this a lot! And it left me more frustrated and disappointed at the end of the day.
And let me tell you something, it causes you to suppress part of who you are and part of who you were meant to be. It crushes your soul, slowly but surely. This is a very unhealthy thing to do, and you will lose yourself in the process. You will find yourself pushing your talents, abilities and true feelings to the back just to please everybody else. It makes you feel like you are not understood, like nobody gets you, like you are not heard and not seen, like you no longer have a meaning and purpose in life, like you don't matter and like you are not loved.
To me, that is such a big soul crusher. It crushes your soul, causing it to break into a million pieces. Your mind shifts into auto pilot mode, and you go through life like a walking corpse. That is no way to live. Please, stop suppressing or hiding the REAL YOU!
So many times, we do this in order to feel loved and accepted. There is this emptiness on the inside that drives you to do certain things and to act in a certain way. I really think that there are people who do not understand why others can be so clingy and unsure of themselves. I am not saying that there is a person or persons who have never felt rejected or uncertain in their entire lives. Everybody experiences rejection, disappointment and uncertainty at some point of their lives, no one gets singled out.
But what I am talking about is something completely different. In fact, it is kind of hard to explain. It is like this overwhelming feeling of being unsafe, and not being secure in yourself and who you are. It is a very deep need to be accepted by others and having a craving for constant affirmation and reassurance. It keeps you wondering what people think of you as an individual as well as the things you do. You can be in the midst of a crowd, and still feel alone and insecure.
That's why it is so vitally important to be yourself, do what you are passionate about - those things that bring you joy and satisfaction. Do not make the same mistake I did! There were many times that I pretended not to like something or would not agree with something, just so that I would be accepted. Do not hide or deny the real you. If only we could realize what our true value is and accept who we are. Ladies, you DO NOT need a man to complete you. You are your own person and people have to accept that. DO NOT change who you are just because you want to be accepted and feel loved. You will lose yourself in the process. DO NOT smother yourself in any relationship. DO NOT hide yourself away. Take the courage to stand up for yourself and do not let anyone push you into a direction you do not want to go! Stay clear headed and DO NOT let emotions, good or bad, cloud your judgement. If something doesn't feel right, it probably isn't. If something seems too good to be true, it probably is.
That is why I say: YOU have a VOICE! You just need to find out what it is that you love doing, if you have not done so. That very thing that makes you happy and makes you feel energized. Then go and practice it! Do not suffocate or bury the talents you were born with! It is on the inside of you, and part of your DNA! Don't let anyone tell you what your voice should be like or should sound like. Do not let them crush you.
We must chuck out the mentality of "the world owes me" and replace it with "what can I bring to this world?" You have to take what you want from life. DO NOT sit and wait for it to come your way. That will only make you a spectator, watching others run their race. It is time to get up and start getting back on the track of this journey called life. Get involved in your own life and then in the lives of others.
Keep your eyes on the goal but do not be consumed by it. Do not miss out on the here and now. Remember, just like in a relay, others are running next to you with the same goal - to get to the next person as quickly as possible to hand over the baton. (Rod-like object). Yes, you are the only one that can run your race, but you are not running alone. There are other participants around us, and we need to realize that there will be times when it will be necessary for someone to stop and offer their help or support. At other times there will be someone else who got stuck, and then it will be necessary for you and me to stop and offer our help and support.
So today, I want to encourage you to dust yourself off and get back into the race! Take that step and let your VOICE be HEARD!
This post is based on my own experience and comes from my point of view.
This post is not meant to label someone or something.
This post is not intended to push anything (political / religious, etc. views) down your throat.
