Take a moment to pause.
Let your shoulders relax.
Unclench your jaw and take a slow breath in.
Then gently breathe out.
Today,
Remind yourself that standing up for yourself does not always have to look bold,
Loud,
Or confrontational.
Sometimes it looks like saying no without giving a long explanation.
Sometimes it looks like asking for what you need.
Sometimes,
It looks like taking a moment before responding instead of immediately agreeing.
Take another slow breath in.
And breathe out.
Think about a situation.
Where you have been tempted to make yourself smaller.
Stay quiet.
And ignore your own needs to keep someone else comfortable.
You don't have to solve that situation right now.
Just notice what comes up for you.
Now silently repeat.
My needs are allowed to matter.
My feelings are worth listening to.
I am allowed to take up space.
Take another slow breath in.
And breathe out.
And let the breath leave your body.
Standing up for yourself does not mean you are rude,
Difficult,
Or selfish.
It means that you are recognizing that your voice belongs in the conversation too.
You can be kind and still have boundaries.
You can care about others without abandoning yourself.
You can disagree without being disrespectful.
Imagine yourself speaking with a calm and steady voice.
Perhaps you say,
That actually doesn't work for me.
I need more time to think about it.
I am not comfortable with that.
Here is what I need moving forward.
Notice how those words feel in your body.
The thing is,
You don't need to feel completely confident before you speak.
Confidence often grows after you practice using your voice.
Take one final breath in.
And slowly breathe out As you return to your day,
Remember.
You don't have to become louder to become stronger.
You only need to become more willing to listen to yourself.
Your voice matters,
Your boundaries matter,
And you are allowed to stand beside yourself.
