I’ve swallowed more words than food in my lifetime.
That’s how it feels sometimes. 
Have you ever had a hard time standing up for yourself?
I’ve been in many positions in my life where I wasn’t “allowed” to say what I felt, wanted, thought, or needed. 
I don’t know about you but words sliding down my throat kicking and screaming the whole way or sobbing invisibly on the way down and then landing in the fetal position thumb sucking and sad, hurt more than had I spoken them. 
In the long run the internal damage is far greater and more present than whatever damage I was preventing by keeping quiet. 

When we realize that we are so filled up inside, to the back of our throat with words unspoken, that we have no room to swallow another syllable, we find the courage 
from somewhere underneath our breath, to speak the words we would rather not hear ourselves say. 

It isn’t easy. 
It takes so much strength and bravery. 
But speaking up for our needs is not a selfish thing to do if we do it in a kind and loving way. 

Speaking our needs is telling someone else about us. It’s letting someone else know our feelings, our experience, our vulnerabilities. It isn’t accusing them, it isn’t placing a demand on them, it isn’t controlling them, it isn’t imprisoning them. (Those would be selfish.)
How others respond to our needs, or to our unseen courage in speaking those needs, is up to them. How they treat us is their choice. 

Treat yourself well. Speak up for yourself in a loving way.

Knots in your throat? Hard to breathe properly because your throat’s closing in? Your voice sounds strange? 
These are all signs that those words definitely need to come out. Breathe, breathe, and breathe again. And speak up for what you need, with love. 

Your people will want you to because they love you. They might not even know you are struggling. Trust them with your words, and when you are afraid to trust them, trust yourself. 

I love you and I’m just so glad you’re here. ❤️✨🙏🏼