To the girl that is afraid to speak out,
I know that you sit in the back of the room trying not to draw attention to yourself. That you sit on your phone or your laptop praying that you won’t get called on, or even looked at. Now I know that this isn’t all of you, but you may hide your true feelings. You may fake a smile and would rather be in your bed watching Netflix in the safety of your space. I know because I am that girl, or was. I am trying to change that and I know it might seem hard, it is, trust me. Getting out of your bubble and learning how to speak to others and showing them a vulnerable part of yourself.
I am not saying that speaking out has to be some amazing thing. It could just be saying hi to that person in class you have taken an interest in. You could be joining a club that you were too scared to join because they might not accept you. There is also the opposite side of the spectrum where you are friends with the wrong people that don’t really like you.
I am the same way. I feel like what I say doesn’t matter and it’s just a waste of time to even say. Why would someone want to hear my thoughts when theirs are probably 10 times better than mine? I have been doing an experiment of trying to speak my mind and asking for what I want. I used to be the girl that would not say anything if my order was wrong at restaurants because I thought they had more important things to do. Now I speak up and tell them what is wrong so I can have my meal the way I want.
Some of you may be just looking to speak out against something you don’t agree with, but don’t know where to start. You could have this whole speech ready and just think to yourself ‘who will listen’? Will anyone want to hear me out? Will anyone agree with me? I think that if you don’t speak up, you don’t have the chance to figure all those questions out. I know that it sounds scary, but is your message worth it to get across?
Do not be afraid to speak your mind, do not worry about what people think. Don’t be afraid to raise your hand in class or in your club to speak your opinion. It means something, and I know it doesn’t seem like it, but your voice needs to be heard. You matter, and so do your thoughts and opinions. So speak up during that meeting, take charge in your relationships. This is your life and you get to mold it.