When I dissect the issues that are holding my clients back in their businesses, or interfering with their productivity, what I often find is that they are holding back from important communications in their relationships, whether within or outside of the work place.
Here’s the reality: you only have so much bandwidth for thoughts and ideas.
Your brain doesn’t know the difference between what’s “personal” vs what’s related to “work.” The important things that get left unsaid — in any context — rattle around in your head, consuming the bandwidth you could be using for other things.
The Consequences of Not Speaking Up
Cognitive Function Suffers
When you don’t advocate for yourself, speak up about issues that bother you, or even acknowledge for yourself what’s on your mind, it becomes a distraction: you ruminate, you rehearse conversations in your head, perhaps you vent to a sympathetic friend.
All of these activities deplete your cognitive function for the things that matter most.
While you’re ruminating on the conversation you want to have, you’re not developing your best ideas and thought leadership. While you’re rehearsing conversations in your head, you’re not having real conversations that can help you develop your ideas.
Physical Dis-ease
It’s not just your brain function that suffers. Keeping a lid on what you most want to express can manifest in physical issues like sore throats, ear pain, TMJ (jaw pain), back pain, stomach aches, headaches, chest pain, constipation, and ulcers.
Words that go unsaid become heavy weights that suffocate us. Think about the expression “I need to get this off my chest,” and how much easier you breathe after expressing yourself in a conversation.
Speaking your mind and being true to yourself is not just a nice theoretical concept, and it’s not just about your productivity — it’s an essential requirement for your overall health and well-being.
Flow states happen when we align our words with our actions. If you don’t speak your words, you can’t align them with your actions.
Fear of Speaking Up is Normal
If speaking up is a struggle for you, you’re in good company. Difficult conversations are challenging for many people. You may fear speaking up because you don’t like confrontation.
Perhaps you’re a trained people-pleaser and you fear hurting others with your words.
Perhaps you’re afraid that you’ll be hurt by others’ reactions to what you have to say.
Mercury Sextile Mars: Support in Speaking Up
As Mercury in Leo forms a sextile with Mars in Libra (August 14, 10:05 PM ET, 5º05’ Leo/Libra; and again August 18, 1:33 AM ET, 7º05’), you’ll get some support in speaking your mind and having those difficult conversations.
The sextile is a supportive aspect that happens between planets when they are in compatible signs. In this case, Mercury, the planet of communication in fire-sign Leo, and Mars, planet of action, in air-sign Libra. Both fire and air energies are expressive. They move energy up and out — perfect for getting things off your chest.
Mercury in Leo is an archetype of a bold and confident speaker. Mars in Libra supports diplomacy in your communication. This will help you speak your mind without fanning the flames or creating an inflammatory confrontation.
A sextile doesn’t make things happen on their own; it requires us to do some work. This one is going to mean gathering your courage to assert your truth, speak boldly, and say what’s on your mind — with compassion and diplomacy.
Once you get things off your chest and out of your mind, you might find yourself feeling lighter and better equipped to focus on the important tasks in front of you.
Love it? Hate it? What do you think? Don't hold back...