Speaking up for ourselves and standing up for what’s right is a deep challenge that I hear about from people literally every day of the week. Why do we struggle so deeply with speaking up? And what steps can we take today to begin to empower ourselves to say what needs to be said, effectively and authoritatively, even when we feel we can’t? In today’s episode of Finding Brave, you’ll hear my own personal story of challenge and trauma from my childhood that carried through to my corporate career (and beyond) and impacted my ability to speak up for myself. And we’ll explore the very real and damaging consequences of not speaking your truth. Being able to speak up effectively for yourself is entwined with our self-worth, self-confidence, esteem, bravery, boundaries, what you learned as a child and in your family, what you experienced when you did speak up, and much more. I share how emotional manipulation and narcissism impacts your ability to advocate for yourself, as well as the 7 essential steps to take to speak up assertively and effectively, especially when you feel you can’t.