I was never meant to shrink!

There was a time when I wore silence like armor. When I bit my tongue so much it bled. Not just in relationships, but in life.

I shrank so others could feel bigger. I played “nice” to avoid being called “too much.”

I stayed in spaces where I wasn’t celebrated, only tolerated. I said yes to what broke me and no to what healed me.

Because deep down, I thought shrinking was survival. I remember working a federal job that drained me daily. On the outside, I was the “successful professional.” On the inside? I was drowning in the weight of pretending. Pretending to be fine. Pretending to feel valued. Pretending I didn’t hear the microaggressions, the condescension, the dismissal. Pretending that paycheck was enough to stay. But my soul knew better. Then came the breakdown. The layoff. The moment that was meant to destroy me.

It didn’t. It freed me.

I had no backup plan. I had a family to care for. I had bills stacking, dreams deflating, and people watching, some waiting for me to fall. Some still waiting and praying I fall!

• But instead of shrinking? I stepped into myself.

• 
  

• I wrote my book.

• I launched my business.

• I spoke on stages.

• I coached other women to reclaim their power.

And through every tear, every late night, every “you’re crazy for leaving that job” whisper, I grew louder. Brighter. Bigger. Not because it was easy. But because I finally realized:

• I was never meant to shrink.

• I was born to shake the room.

Quote from the book “Becoming a Boss Bitch”:

“Bossing up means betting on yourself when no one else will.”

So if you’re dimming your light, downplaying your worth, or making yourself small for anyone, hear me when I say:

You don’t have to fit in to rise up.

Break the mold. Reclaim your voice. Shine anyway.