Jen Maxwell - Empowering Women to RISE

I used to make myself small.

Not always obviously. Not in a way anyone would necessarily notice. But I’d shrink. Apologise for having an opinion. Laugh off a compliment before it could land. Say “sorry” before I’d even finished a sentence.

I thought that’s just what you did. Especially as a woman. Especially if you’d spent years being the capable one, the strong one, the one who holds it all together. You learned early that being too much was a problem. So you got very, very good at being just enough.

Here’s what I know now.

Taking up space isn’t arrogance. It’s not loudness or selfishness or thinking you’re better than anyone else.

It’s just… being here. Fully. Unapologetically. As your whole, perfectly imperfect self.

It’s having the thought and saying it out loud. It’s walking into the room without rehearsing your apology. It’s letting someone do something nice for you without immediately deflecting.

It’s terrifying at first. And then slowly, slowly, it starts to feel like coming home.

You are allowed to be here. All of you.

You always were.

Comment RISE below if you’re ready to rise?

Fabulous dresses and photos from The Stripey Sheep