When Silence is not the best option

I had coffee with a couple of friends recently who confided in me that they were afraid to say things for fear of offending people. One of them mentioned that his office had such strong office politics that he was afraid to share his ideas in a meeting for fear that it might offend a colleague or boss. Yet another lamented that she was afraid to speak of her life story as it is simply too depressing to hear. She claims that it might drive people away or have them misjudge who she really is. The list goes on but how often have we "censored" our thoughts and words because we were simply too afraid of what others might think of us if we revealed it?

Even in blogging where we are suppose to speak freely in this little realm we call our blog, I read that many are afraid of controversial topics for fear of pissing off their readers or sponsors.

Once again, TO HELL WITH FEAR! Write what you believe in...controversial or not. Speak of what pleases you most, whether people agree with or not. What's important is that you SPEAK FROM THE HEART!!! If you believe that your ideas are better than your colleagues...SAY IT! If you think your life story has taught you to cherish what you have, SHARE IT!

Do not let what others might think change the person that you are. For there is nothing more beautiful than seeing the conviction of the human spirit. Perhaps some might disagree with my views as it might seem to promote conflict...Do I care? I respect people who speak their mind openly and freely. It shows courage and a confidence that is not easily shaken. It is easy to be a "yes man" and agree with everything everyone says but it adds no value to an organization, to a friend or to the conversation. Being easy going is easy but you ain't going anywhere buddy!

Take my advice - Speak freely, speak truthfully and most importantly, speak from your heart. It doesn't matter if anyone agrees with what you say. It simply states that you are comfortable with who you are and are not afraid to defend for what you believe. Express yourself and make a difference in the world that we live in.

PS: I will be travelling in Europe for the next 3 weeks. Blog entries may be slow but I will promise to still write when I can.