Earlier this month, I was in Massachusetts and got to see many of you. Thank you sincerely to those who came out to Lions Gate and Circles of Wisdom. I’ll be sure to let you know when I visit New England again.
The other day, as I leisurely scrolled through my Facebook feed, a friend’s post abruptly caught my eye. I could feel my shoulders tensing up and warmth rising in my chest. I sat up straighter. Put the phone down. Closed my eyes and shook my head side-to-side. It was not anger that fueled this surge, but a profound sense of strength, grace and certainty.
This situation is not okay…I thought. It’s your body.It’s your money. It’s your soul.Never give up your power.
My friend Henry had just come home after a massage. What should have been a time for blissful rejuvenation turned sour when the masseuse made inappropriate comments about him being overweight. Despite the degrading comments, he stayed for the massage and even tipped the person, not wanting conflict. Henry was now on Facebook reflecting on the situation and he was angry.
As I took in his post, I flashed back to the week before when I was getting a pedicure. The manicurist had just finished putting the last coat of turquoise on when she asked if I liked my pedicure. I looked at my right big toe, then my left big toe, and then my right again. I thought, I don’t like it.My right toenail is much shorter than my left. I want them even.
I responded, ‘I love it.’
As I walked out of the salon and to my car, I watched my feet connect with the pavement and thought, Just go back and ask her to even out your toes.
Instead, I got in the car and went home. Similar to Henry, I didn’t want conflict.
While at home, I knew I should have spoken my truth and honored my money and body, but that voice in me telling me to do so wasn’t as strong as when I heard about Henry’s encounter.
It wasn’t until I read Henry’s post (thank you Universe for sending me my lesson in perfect timing) that I realized my voice of self-worth and advocacy needs to be as loud for myself as it is for others. I’m aware and I’ll keep working on this.
Since you’re reading this, I invite you to ponder: Is this message being sent to you in perfect timing? How can you be a better self-advocate?
PS – Here’s an affirmation to use when self-advocating is needed, ‘My voice matters. I speak up for myself as loud as I would for others.’
PPS – Do you want to explore your self-worth deeper? If so, grab your pen and journal. Reflect on three instances in which you prioritized the opinions, expectations, or needs of others over your own. What similarities do these situations share? Explore the underlying motivations behind your decision to place someone else’s interests first. How can this newfound awareness empower you to communicate your truth more effectively in the future?
