I want to start off by saying it’s okay if things take a little longer than you thought. By now, you’re probably used to people saying, “You’re so quiet.” Maybe that’s something that bothers you, and maybe it doesn’t. You’ve likely watched your fair share of YouTube videos on how to be the most outspoken person in the room, alongside other quiet-fix solutions spawned across the internet. However, I am not here to tell you that who you are is wrong, nor am I saying you are perfect. I am simply here to tell you, that you are enough.
For as long as you’ve been working, you have probably grappled with the question: is there really space for me in the corporate world? These thoughts always seem to arise after a long day in the office, spent trying to fit in without disappearing into the shadows. It is exhausting to find yourself in a crowd of people who somehow seem so naturally good at socialising and commanding the attention of the room, the very thing that makes you feel like falling flat on your face.
I believe that with time, all those YouTube videos, self-help books, and continued exposure to public speaking will help. Eventually, you won’t find yourself in the rumbling, nervous mess that you might feel like right now. To you I say: you are getting better, and you are so brave. After all, you didn’t die from those moments giving speeches in school or leading presentations at work. There is a reason why you are who you are. Whether you know that reason yet or not, we are all shaped by our past. Hopefully, over time, you will come to embrace yours and let go of the things that make you feel small.
I wish I could tell your colleagues that there is absolutely nothing wrong with you. You aren’t dealing with a lack of confidence or whatever other labels have been used to diagnose your quietness. I wish I could tell them that you are just who you are. Just like them, you are growing and evolving in ways unique to you, as every person does.
Maybe one day your voice will fill rooms when you speak, and you won’t feel those nervous butterflies anymore. Maybe one day you won’t be asked to speak louder just to be heard by the people way in the back. That day can come if you want it to. But above all, I hope you keep the pieces of yourself that silence has taught you. I hope you remain just as good an observer, listener, and dreamer, and that your inner solace remains at peace through all the noise of this world.
With light,
phaniefin
