I sat in the Developmental Pediatric Office with my husband and young son at the time and found out that our son had a speech delay, amongst other diagnoses.

So many things ran through my mind then, and I began questioning myself as a mother. It felt like an avalanche of thoughts just coming down, and I internalized it, meaning I never spoke up about those feelings to anyone because I didn't know how to navigate my emotions, as I was still processing his diagnosis. I began to blame myself for my son's diagnosis, even though it had nothing to do with me.  

Because I never spoke up about those thoughts, feelings of guilt and "not-enough-ness " showed up in other parts of my world. They showed up in my self-worth." They showed up with imposter syndrome and perfectionism. They showed up as people-pleasing, "meek, " and visibility blocks. I was not in my feminine power and operating from too much masculine energy. They showed up this way because I didn't value my voice, needs, or truth.

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I realized my son and I were going through similar journeys in finding our voices. My son's speech delay was showing up as delays or blocks in other areas of his life – social skills, readiness, behavior issues, etc. My vocal empowerment delay (which I call it now) showed up the same way – in how I communicated my value, governing what action or inaction I took, and being able to make aligned decisions, etc. We were mirroring each other's journeys.

 

When we fail to empower our voices, we fail at being in integrity with ourselves.

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My vision is to see a world where more women, children, men, and non-genders have the freedom and power to share their voices and stories confidently. I want this for my son, who has a speech delay (who now cannot stop talking), and my daughter, who is also going through her own self-discovery. I want this for myself to value and speak about my needs and desires as a woman, and help other women do the same. 

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How can we encourage more open and honest communication with ourselves and others daily? What steps can you take today to amplify your voice and create an impact in your life and the lives of others?