Finding My Voice

When I revived this old and dusty blog all those months ago, I honestly didn't think anyone would read it. Let alone be inspired by it. It started out with my ramblings... how I wanted to change and improve my life. How I had decided I was finally going to go after those big and crazy and wild dreams of mine. But Girl, Dream It has evolved into something I had never imagined. And I love hearing from so many of you about how it has motivated and inspired you.

Through this journey, what I realized about myself was that I was finding my voice again. For years I was working jobs where I just put my head down and did what was asked of me. No one wanted to hear what I had to say. And the longer I went on like that, the quieter my voice became. But now, through lots of hard work, personal challenges and personal growth, I am pushing myself and coming into my own- finding who I really am. Finding that voice again.

I had plenty of voice when it came to others. I'm all about defending the underdog. I have worked hard over the years to fight for others, especially my son. I fought fearlessly for that boy, to get him the help that he has needed academically because of his Dyslexia. But when it came to fighting for myself? I was silent. I can't pinpoint when the change began to take place, and I'm not even sure what sparked it. But one day, enough was enough. And I started picking up books, and reading about self-help, and self-love. And every book pushed me to the next one and suddenly I felt that fire in me begin to grow, begin to strengthen, begin to burn with conviction. I had something to say. I was finding my voice, and in doing so I was finding myself, and finding myself gave me a vision of what I want and where I want to go. My dreams are unfolding in exciting ways, and giving me opportunities I never had before. And I am working on my third novel, which excites me daily.

The founders of & coordinators of Heart-Working- these two are my people.

I tell women not to make themselves small. I tell myself not to make myself small. I tell myself to be proud of my passions, to not shy away from what I want. To own my dreams. It's definitely easier said than done. I have grown so accustomed to the white noise that had for so long drowned that voice... the noise that told me I wasn't good enough, that my dreams were crazy, that I was safer in those jobs that silenced my voice because there was certainty and stability in them. But my voice matters, and the more I learn about myself and the more I feed my passions, the louder I roar. I can do this. I will do this.

Last night, I stood up in front of a room of 90 women to encourage them not to be small. To be proud of their stories, their achievements, and their dreams. To tell them that they are enough.

I'll be honest, I was scared to get up there. I haven't spoken in front of a crowd in ten years. And never to one that large. It was a room filled with the best of the best. Women that do humanitarian work in countries like Kenya and Haiti, women who are high performing sales managers, women who have built thriving businesses in direct sales, women who are life coaches and professional coaches. There were women earning incomes on the side to give their families fun money, and there were women making well into the six-figures. It was a room filled with power. It was diversity at its best. And they asked me to stand up in front of them and share Girl, Dream It. I was both honored and humbled. Every day I am learning more and more about how far my reach goes, about the voices I have encouraged in other women. If all I did was touch one person then my journey of self-awareness, self-love, and bravery to speak up has all been worth it. So thank you to all of you who have believed in me from the start, and to all of you who have listened to my voice and still come back for more.

"I am woman, hear me roar!" Helen Reddy