I can't say how I really feel because...
I own a business
My industry
My title
My job
My _______
To be clear, I have personally said similar words before and fully understand where the concern comes from. This is not a judgement. However, this type of thinking perfectly spotlights (at least) 2 majors challenges that we, as a society, face today.
First, this line is exactly where so much potential progress falls just short or revolutionary change. It’s the line that so many are willing to walk right up to, inching every closer, but never crossing. Why? Because it threatens our individual comfort, our place in this system, and even relationships. When you hear yourself saying… “should I?”, “Can I?” Know that you are, in that moment, standing at that line and the narrative that prevails is a choice, not a rule.
Additionally, this thinking highlights something even more profound; a threat to your individual freedom. A hesitancy to express yourself, even when your heart compels you to do so, due to fear of backlash from the system that comforts you… that, my friend, is imprisonment. It is imprisonment of your most valuable assets… your voice, your mind and your heart.
This is certainly not to say that you must say more or that you need to say more. This is meant to evoke thought. This is intended to cultivate questions that you possible haven’t asked yourself. Maybe you haven’t felt the need to say more, maybe you are already saying and doing exactly what you feel is appropriate… but if you have held back out of fear of judgement, ask yourself: Why? What might I actually lose? What might We actually gain?
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