10 Things To Do To Find Your Voice
Disclaimer: The Views expressed here are my own and are not a representation of my employers or clients.
I am so grateful to everyone who has helped me put the, He’s Just A Social Worker, movement in place. This is our first blog yall!!! I will do my best in these write-ups to bring useful information that I believe will be a tangible way for the He’s Just audience to gain tips, resources, and knowledge that can be applicable to you, or someone else’s goals. The He’s Just a Social Worker LLC campaign was made possible because I was presented with a real-life situation that propelled me to act.
I attended an all-day seminar that included staff, team members, and senior level hierarchy. As part of the morning session, we had Yoga stretching as the ice breaker- so cool-- and an outside practitioner led the group in how to tap into your best selves with deep breathing, movement, and relaxation tools. Our team table was located towards the front of the meeting location. My neighbor to my left was a female staff person, she belonged to a different group in another division. She was cool though, we obviously bumped into one another during various parts of the morning with all that breathing and moving, often apologizing when we overstepped.
Fast forward, after morning sessions, it was lunch break- lunch was served buffet style towards the back of the room. My seating partner and I got up at the same time- that's right we bumped into each other… yet again.
During what was like our 20th apologetic moment (felt like 20!) a senior staff personnel who appeared to come to meet with my neighbor for lunch, blurted to her loud enough that I heard it. “He’s Just A Social Worker” (boom)
10 Things To Do To Find Your Voice
*You need good music to get through this list while you read.
Number 1- Control Your Emotions- I was dealing with so much when I heard her label me like I was a lower-level unqualified staff person. I felt anger, sadness, and delirium at the same time. But my inner voice said:
Number 2- Response- You have to think before responding. If I had responded negatively surely it could possibly have made the situation worse, so I had to think before acting, and so it was.
Number 3- Locate your support system- Find someone(s) whom you can rely on. I was lucky to have a team member present, consequently who is a mentor to me, and she was able to listen to how I felt. Which was helpful, so that I could keep level-headed and decrease any further damage.
Number 4- “Should be number 1 to me” (Biggie Smalls)- After speaking to my mentor I said, “I need to go home so that I could have time to properly process.”
Number 5- Next Steps- There was NO WAY that I would not find a way to fight back, it's in my nature to advocate, hustle, get my hands dirty. So I said to myself, I got to do something, but what? Meet with her? No. Request a team meeting? Aaaahhh no. Wait for her outside? Oh definitely no, to the no.
Number 6- I found these tips useful from the awareness center (referenced below), this information was not handy during the day of my incident, however, it helped me think about steps before writing this piece; look at number 3 on the awareness center list it says- “Prepare In Advance”- Hmm, how do I get my point across in a meaningful way? Oh, I know— Create a company using the negative words she used, and help others find their voice. ANNND Let others know they’re not alone; bullies gonna be bullies, let’s fight back. Thus, He’s Just A Social Worker LLC, was born.
Number 7- Finding your voice often requires you to take risks- (Yeah I’d attest to that; created a company, website, and started a new gig as Life Mindset Coach). Oftentimes, we need to take risks. Before doing so connect with your support systems if any; and think about the premise. How would you feel emotionally if you were to try something that’s outside of the box? What are the potential outcomes? How would you react if something goes totally wrong? Buuuuuut, how would you feel if it went totally right? !!GROWTH MINDSET!!
Number 8- Remember to remember- Which is a cool way to say the same word twice and this time, let it mean motivation. Think about what will keep you engaged (and light that fire).
1) Is it the negative words you heard?
2) Is it the feeling that this keeps happening repeatedly?
3) You are sick and tired of being sick and tired?
That bit of hope IS your motivation. In my opinion, so long as you remain professional and keep yourself organized, you should be ok. Don’t give up! For instance, I put the quote “He’s Just A Social Worker” to help me:
remember+remember = motivate me.
Number 9- Envision your success- This number could be interchangeable in other spots on this list yet, a very critical step. Practice saying it out loud, write yourself inspirational messages, write them in your journal and diary. If you can see success, you have a better chance to do so. “It was written.”
Number 10- Lastly, everyone is built differently, and making this list is what happened to me and most certainly will not work for ALL. However, there is always a process in finding your voice whether you have this list or create your own. Just think about your passion, think of the people who just like you, have dealt with adversity, what did you do? What did they do? and what can you do to tell them about your experience?
*/(^-^)/*“Dont Let the Unqualified Disqualify You”*\(^-^)\*
Till next time Same Bat Time Same Bat Channel.
References:
https://theawarenesscentre.com/how-to-find-your-voice-and-be-more-assertive/
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/kuQMWHAl_1E
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N0twl1DfXr0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VeIOuWlmZrk
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