You Deserve to Take Up Space

There was a time I believed being quiet was the safest thing I could do.
I thought that to be respected, I had to earn it first, through perfection, through productivity, through silence.
I stayed small because I thought shrinking would keep me from being a burden.

In 2021, I started this blog with one hope: that writing about my struggles with low self-esteem might help me and maybe help someone else too.
I had just finished high school. I was in a rough place. I felt weighed down by regrets. I felt like I had missed out on so much, and somehow, that meant I didn’t deserve more. Inspire! was my way of reaching for light even when I wasn’t sure I’d find it.

Now, I’m writing this as a 20-year-old. A few days away from graduating college. And if I could go back and hug that version of me, I would whisper just one thing:

“You deserve to take up space. Even when you feel behind. Even when you feel unsure. Even when you’re healing.“

What That Actually Means

✨ 1. You are allowed to ask.

One of the biggest things I’ve learned is that the life you want might be one question away.
But so many of us don’t ask because we assume the answer is no. We don’t apply. We don’t speak up. We don’t share our ideas.
And in doing so, we lock ourselves out of rooms that were never closed to us simply because we just never knocked.

Sometimes, the most powerful thing you can do is say, “Hey, I would like to try.”
Let your curiosity be louder than your fear.

🗣 2. Closed mouths don’t get fed. Closed hearts don’t heal.

There were moments I sat in pain, waiting for someone to read my silence.
But the world rarely works that way. You have to advocate for your needs. You have to name what’s hurting.
Because being silent to keep the peace often only breaks your own.

Your voice is not a disruption….. doorway? Maybe

🪞 3. You teach others how to treat you by how you treat yourself.

I’ve learned that confidence is not arrogance, rather clarity.
And if you spend all your time downplaying yourself, apologizing for existing, or making yourself small to avoid judgment, people will mirror that energy.

You have to lead the way.
Speak gently to yourself. Cheer yourself on. Be someone you would want to follow.
Because if you don’t believe in you, why should anybody?

🌿 4. Protect your circle, and your spirit.

I used to think being kind meant being available all the time…. lol
College taught me the importance of boundaries. Of surrounding myself with people who get it, people who challenge me, encourage me, and want me to grow.

If you haven’t found those people yet? Start by being that person to yourself.
Your future people will find you when you stop hiding.

🕰 5. Be where your feet are.

I won’t lie, I’ve spent a lot of college at my desk, head down, chasing goals.
But some of the moments I treasure most were the random convos on the way to class. The social events. The spontaneous trips
I almost missed them……

Here’s what I’ve learned: This moment—this one right here—is the one that matters.
The future can wait. Show up for your now.

I’m still learning, still growing.
But I’m no longer trying to disappear.
I’m here, loud, soft and full of hope, I’m making space for all of it.

So what’s next?

I’m reviving Inspire! with a new rhythm.
And I’m adding something new: every blog post now comes with a Spotify playlist to set the mood.
Because sometimes, music says what words can’t.

🎧 This week’s playlist: “You Deserve to Take Up Space”
If this post resonated with you, drop your favorite self-love or work song in the comments….

The Inspire blog