Say something, but where to begin?

Say something.

Two little words, but an awfully big command.

Say what? When the world is literally one huge forum and you can have your say, it's pretty daunting to know where to begin, or how to begin, or WHY to begin.

It's easy to doubt yourself when it comes to using your voice and having your say, I imagine a lot of you are like me and you wonder whether or not you have the right to speak up. Little old you. Little old me. Who are we to offer up our opinions anyway? That kind of thinking keeps us silent and submissive in a time where our voices are needed more than ever! So, don't me like that. Your voice is important because it is YOURS and it represents you and your experiences and your viewpoints and your situation and guess what, all of that matters!

The world needs to hear all kinds of voices. Yours too,

Doubtful anyone will ever say to you "just who do you think you are?" when you have your say, but, well, they might. And should that occur, just tell them! You're an authority on your story, your experiences and your life, and because your life matters and your little personal experience matters, so too does what you have to say.

So, just who do I think I am? I am Katie. I am so many things and all of them combined make me a completely unique individual. Though I belong to many little subcategories of humanity, there's only one me, and no one else sees the world quite like I do (same goes for you reader!). It is impossible to fully to explain or define myself, here's a bit of what makes me who I am:

Daughter, sister, mother, friend, ex-wife, artist, poet, thinker, lover, reader, writer, tarot guide, tattoo artist, perpetual student, old lady in disguise, mental health advocate, nurse, amateur counselor, cheerleader (not like with pom poms), homebody, chronic pain sufferer, self doubter, anxious, family oriented, day dreamer, nap lover, Black lives matter supporter, #metoo supporter, survivor, work in progress...

Of course there's so much more. But this is, in a super condensed nutshell who I am and what qualifies me to use my voice. My simple existence. That's all the qualification needed.

Now, it would be neglectful for me to not mention that using your voice of course comes with great responsibility and is not without risk. People may be very receptive to what you have to say, and then again, they may not. So, do not use your voice with reckless abandon, and know that if you strike a nerve in someone, you may have to deal with a little backlash or opposition. Particularly if you're using your voice to instigate tension or spread hate.

I'm all about self expression and having your voice heard, but do not advocate for hate in any form.

Let's absolutely open up this global forum to healthy and respectful debate though, that's part of the beauty of self expression and our wonderful modern era where our voices are able to be heard across the globe. We can share concerns, have opinions, listen to other experiences, and ideally, open our minds to new truths and concepts that help us grow as people!

Each of us is uniquely equipped with a very particular world view. I love using the analogy that we're travelers in this life, and our unique circumstances "pack" us for the trip. Our mind/heart is our suitcase and several things contribute to what gets packed in our suitcase, such as:

Your birthplace

Your parents

Your religion

Your socioeconomic status

Your education (your parents education)

Your family structure

Your challenges and struggles

Your genetics

Your unique talents and gifts

No two suitcases contain the exact same contents. Some people will find they're aptly prepared for what life brings their way and some may find their suitcase lacking what they need to handle their circumstances. This is why we must consider the individual, and not hold everyone to the same standards. We are not all packed the same, and therefore we will not all perform the same.

Use your voice, AND you compassion, and then we'll have us some useful and productive discussions that can truly be catalysts for growth and change!

So, what do YOU want to talk about?

Katie