I get the desire to speak – louder, more often, as much as possible. It’s a loud world, and how will we ever be noticed if we aren’t louder than the people around us?
The thing is, the right people will listen when you speak quietly.
Now, I’m not telling you to hide your boldness. Absolutely not.
Be bold. Be courageous. Speak when you need to. Speak when it matters. Speak when it makes your knees knock a little. When you’re not sure whether you’ll be listened to, but you need to communicate a call to goodness, a call to better, a challenge to injustice, a recognition of another human who needs to be seen.
Speak and learn the value of all that goes into communication – a method of connection that actually relies very little on words, yet the words chosen matter deeply.
Say what needs to be said. Not more.
Sometimes you’ll need to say it over and over. Sometimes you’ll say it once and then let it go. Sometimes you’ll be heard, sometimes you won’t. That’s not for you to decide.
You get to decide when to speak and when to be quiet.
Both are powerful. Be willing to speak, and be willing to be quiet.