GIVING THANKS & FINDING MY VOICE…AGAIN
I was a fearless child. Many are. I was also a fearless teenager, and twenty something- a little more unusual, but not totally uncommon. I was always an introvert, but life was kind to me, and because of that, I didn’t fear voicing my opinions or putting myself out on a limb and stepping outside of my comfort zone. I heard YES a lot- because I let myself be vulnerable.
Sometimes clients ask me why I chose to leave a career in the spotlight to help introverts find their voice. The truth is? To lose your voice is to lose your power.
Something shifted towards the end of my 20’s. A few “no’s” here and there, a few hiccups because of the “no’s,” an unexpected personal loss and just like that, my world tipped sideways. The vocal expression that used to bring me so much joy, suddenly became the source of my anxiety.
I began studying Reiki, an ancient healing method that manipulates energy flow in the body, in an attempt to unblock my voice. I learned the Throat Chakra, (Vishuddha), has been called “the highway between the individual and the universal.” When out of balance, it can lead to fear of speaking in public, shutting down during difficult conversations and exacerbating low self-esteem potentially manifesting into full blown depression.
It took time, patience and quite a few tears, but with a greater understanding of myself and the help of a few wonderful coaches I found my way back to solid ground.
This experience completely changed my life. I no longer took my voice for granted and it became a daily practice to push the limits of my vocal expression and embrace the ups and downs that came along with it.
Over the years, the greatest lesson I’ve learned is that embracing the fear of the unknown and expressing yourself anyway yields tremendous growth. You may not always get a “yes,” but what you learn from the “no” will add to your fire and push you further.
Defeat only exists when we decide that it’s too late to change, when we accept our limitations as immovable and resign to complacency.
Today, I give thanks to myself ten years ago, for not accepting defeat. For knowing my voice mattered, and finding purpose in my voice…again.
