Stop Mouthing the Words: Finding the Courage to Use Your Voice

“Belonging doesn’t require you to shrink — it asks you to show up as you are.” – Brené Brown

When I was 18, standing on a stage at Oklahoma State University, a choir director pulled me aside and told me to mouth the words.

That single sentence shaped how I showed up — and hid — for years.
It wasn’t just about singing. It was the moment I learned to silence myself.

Key Takeaways

1. Silencing often starts subtly.
   Sometimes we’re coached, mentored, or told to “tone it down” — and we internalize it as truth.

2. Shrinking becomes habitual.
   The longer we comply, the smaller our voice (and self-trust) becomes.

3. Authenticity isn’t loudness — it’s alignment.
   True leadership isn’t about fitting in; it’s about showing up in integrity with your truth.

4. Your voice is your power.
   What you’ve been told is “too much” is often your exact gift.

5. Belonging should never require self-abandonment.
   The right environments — people, organizations, communities — will celebrate your fullness, not fear it.

Expanded Insights

“Too Much” Is Often a Projection

When someone tells you you’re “too much,” they’re usually revealing their own limits, not yours. Conscious leaders learn to see feedback through that lens — as information, not identity.

Leadership Requires Emotional Range

Authenticity isn’t always comfortable. It requires allowing yourself to feel deeply — passion, anger, hope — without suppressing it to meet someone else’s definition of “professional.”

The Most Magnetic Leaders Are Whole

We follow leaders who are real. When you reclaim your voice, you give permission for others to do the same. That’s how culture transforms — not through compliance, but through courage.

This week, notice where you’re still “mouthing the words.”

Where are you holding back your truth?
Where are you dimming your brilliance for someone else’s comfort?

Then practice saying one small, honest thing — in a meeting, a conversation, or even to yourself.

Download the Leadership Workbook and start leading with clarity, confidence, and purpose.

The world doesn’t need more conformity. It needs your authentic sound