16 Dec 2024

I’ve noticed something about the way I speak: my sentences are padded with filter words, like soft barriers between my thoughts and the person I’m speaking to. Words like “I think,” “just,” “maybe,” slip in without permission, dulling the sharpness of what I mean. It’s as if I’m afraid to take up space, afraid to be too certain, so I wrap my ideas in layers of hesitation. But these filters don’t protect me—they dilute my voice, leaving me frustrated and unheard. Why do I feel the need to soften everything I say? Maybe it’s habit. Maybe it’s fear. But I’m realizing that clarity and confidence don’t need apologies. It’s time to strip away the filters and trust that my words, unpolished and direct, are enough.

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