November’s theme is Using your Voice!
When was the last time you had a difficult conversation? Did you feel confident in the way you expressed yourself?
When was the last time you shared your views on something without second-guessing yourself or worrying about what someone else thought?
When was the last time you spoke up in a meeting, set a clear boundary with someone, or asserted yourself in an uncomfortable situation?
Many women struggle with using their voice. Some research suggests that women apologize when we really should be direct because we worry about coming off as rude, or hurting someone's feelings. According to a study in the journal of Psychological Science, women have a much lower threshold for what constitutes offensive behavior. In turn, this causes us to apologize more - even when we should be assertive. It causes us to use "I'm sorry" as a buffer to smooth things over, when, in many cases, it's actually the other person that should be saying it.
During the month of November, we'll explore the steps it takes to become clearer on what we want, how we feel, and how to put it all out there without the fear and without the guilt. We'll work on raising our voices unapologetically, but doing it with grace, class, and respect for ourselves and those around us.
