Speak Your Mind and Inspire Change

Speak Your Mind and Inspire Change  

Ever found yourself stewing in silence, yearning to speak but unable to find the courage? It's a common struggle, but one you can overcome. 

Join us as we promise to equip you with nine transformative tips to confidently express your opinions and ensure your unique perspective is not just heard but valued. 

From understanding what truly matters to you, to mastering the art of diplomacy, this episode guides you through practical strategies to communicate effectively, whether in intimate conversations or large meetings.

Overcoming the fear of judgment is no small task, but it's a challenge worth facing. Our conversation emphasizes the importance of honoring your true self by recognizing the worth of your voice. 

You'll learn actionable steps like identifying past missed opportunities and crafting approaches to current issues, empowering you to speak up and inspire others. When you give yourself permission to express your truth, you not only empower yourself but catalyze change in your world. 

Your voice is a formidable tool for personal growth and transformation—never underestimate its power.

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Who is Julie Fairhurst?
Julie Fairhurst is an accomplished author, writing coach, and the visionary founder of the Women Like Me Book Program.

With 36 published books and a proven track record of helping over 160 women become published authors, Julie is passionate about empowering women to find their voice, share their truths, and create meaningful connections through storytelling.

Julie’s writing programs, including her highly sought-after four-week course, provide women with the tools, guidance, and motivation to tell their stories confidently and leave a lasting impact.

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Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:29

Have you ever found yourself in a situation where you are desperate to jump in and say your piece, but instead you stew in silence? If you can relate to this, you might have trouble speaking up. This is a serious issue. If you aren't willing or able to speak up for yourself, rest assured that no one else will either. No concerns, issues, questions or solutions you might have in your head will ever materialize if you can't speak up at the right time. If you'd like to be the type of person who speaks up when their best interests are at stake, please consider these nine tips.

Speaker 1: 1:21

One know what you stand for. When you take the time to figure out what matters to you, you will be more likely to speak up on those interests. Knowing what's important is a good way to figure out when you should speak up versus staying quiet. Two be ready. If you struggle speaking up, trying to wing it at the moment is going to be intimidating. Make sure you plan and prepare yourself in advance whenever possible. If you have a meeting, you know you want to bring something up, then have all your talking points ready.

Speaker 1: 2:11

Three start small. One of the only ways to get over an inability to speak up is to start doing it. It might be too intimidating to start on a grand scale, so try and start small. An example of starting small would be speaking up in a one-on-one situation. Write down what you want to say. Some people are much better at writing their thoughts than verbally expressing them. Than verbally expressing them. While you can't hand in a paper during a big work meeting, having your thoughts written down already will give you time to practice your delivery. Find an early opening. The longer you sit in silence, the harder it will be for you to speak up. You will give your mind too much time to create a bunch of excuses why you shouldn't. Also, finding an early opening ensures you have the time to get your point across.

Speaker 1: 3:31

Recognize it's hard but worthwhile. It doesn't help for you to pretend speaking up is easy. Acknowledge that it will be a challenge, but realize it will be worth it. Research into realistic optimism has shown that people are more likely to follow through if they expect a task to be challenging. Your voice deserves to be heard. You have a unique voice, outlook and understanding of things. Your thoughts and opinions are important and valuable. If you can't accept and believe this, you will never be able to speak up for yourself.

Speaker 1: 4:21

Stop worrying about others' thoughts. It's perfectly fine to consider other people's feelings before you speak. However, it's important not to go overboard. Don't worry about everyone else agreeing with you or looking stupid. If you have something important to say, then say it. Learn the art of diplomacy. Sometimes it's best to be as direct and blunt as possible. Other times it can help you to be a bit more diplomatic. The less aggressive you have to be, the easier you will find it to speak up for yourself.

Speaker 1: 5:22

Actionable steps One make a list of times where you didn't speak out, and you should have Note how each time may have negatively impacted you. Two think about an important issue you are dealing with and devise a way to speak up about it. 3. The next time you feel the urge to speak up about something, just jump right in and do it. As you walk your journey, remember that your voice is one of your greatest strengths. Speaking up for yourself isn't just about being heard. It's about honoring who you are, what you stand for and what you need. When you give yourself permission to express your truth, you not only empower yourself, but you also inspire others to do the same. Never be afraid to speak up, because your voice has the power to create change and shape your world.