Speaking up is hard to do
Fearful of creating conflict?
or not being liked?
Speaking up as a child, were you chastised?
Stop complaining, you!
Get over it!
Shut up!
Too emotional, in a bad mood, hormonal you are
So, you shut down, smother your feelings
Eradicate each word, one by one
Calculating the impact
Questioning the validity of your feelings
Speak up, but be careful you!
Beginning with parents whispering in your ears, shush
Stop crying my little one, rocking, feeding, and pacifying you
You were too loud, your cries needed immediate attention
This is how your words and feelings innocuously are stifled
It happens to most, words spoken from the heart,
Expunged before they have a chance to blossom
The voice yearning to be heard, gets suppressed
This rarely happens out of malice, it just does
Our voices go undercover, incognito
Being channelled and projected through other means
Yelling at the slow driver relieves the holding back of tension
Gossiping about a colleague who casually walks past
Drinking to lubricate the rusty vocal chords
Voices restricted now freed to express themselves
But only now towards an innocent victim
Who was just minding their own business
Paths meeting, your voice desperate to be heard, lashes out
Subjugates the innocent victim
Looking for outlets for your voice; politicians, the barking dog, the skateboarding kid.
It’s safer that way, it is unlikely you will see them again
While your parents, friends, colleagues, and children
Not so safe, you must keep quiet around them
Yes, speaking up is hard to do
Though not speaking your truth will destroy you
Take a pause: Speaking your truth: Ujjayi Breath
Take a deep breath, close your eyes
Inhale through your nose
Create a whispering noise by constricting your glottis, the flap at the bottom of your throat.
Exhale through your mouth as if you are fogging up a mirror
Breath in, ocean noise
Breath out, fog up the imaginary mirror
Repeat x10
Once the throat relaxes you will feel more at ease
Speak slowly and thoughtfully but speak your truth