My Journey to Being Heard
So, I wanted to talk about something that’s been on my mind, kinda related to that whole vibe of demanding your space, you know? Like that Missy Elliott energy, “Respect Me.” It’s not like I was in a rap battle or anything, but there was this one time, at this community project I was volunteering for, that really sticks with me.
We were trying to organize this local arts fair. Good cause, lots of creative folks involved. I’d put a bunch of hours into researching how other small towns pulled off successful fairs, looking at logistics, vendor management, promotion – the whole shebang. I even typed up a neat little proposal, full of what I thought were pretty solid ideas. My own little blueprint for success, I guess.
Anyway, comes the big planning meeting. I’m all ready to share. But it felt like every time I tried to speak, someone else would jump in, louder, more confident, or maybe just more… familiar to the core group. My points just kinda hung in the air, or got a quick “yeah, okay” before the conversation moved on. It was frustrating, to say the least. I felt like that invisible person in the room. You ever get that feeling? Like you’re shouting into a pillow?
I went home that evening feeling pretty deflated. My first thought was, “Okay, maybe my ideas weren’t that great.” But then, I was like, “Hold on a minute.” I knew I’d done my homework. I knew there was value in what I’d prepared. It wasn’t about my ideas being bad; it was about them not even being properly heard. That’s when I thought, heck, I need to channel some of that “Supa Dupa Fly” confidence. Not aggressive, but assertive. Firm.
The “Practice” Part: Getting My Voice Out There
So, here’s what I actually did, my little “practice” in getting respect for my contributions:
- I didn’t just give up. That was the first step. It’s easy to shrink back, right? But I decided, no, this is important.
- I polished my proposal. Made it even clearer, more concise. Added some visual aids – just simple charts, nothing fancy – to make the key points pop. I figured, if they won’t listen for long, I need to make my impact quick.
- I sought out a one-on-one. Instead of trying to compete in the noisy group setting again, I approached one of the main organizers, someone I thought was a bit more receptive, for a quick chat. I just said, “Hey, I know we were all over the place in the meeting, but I put some serious thought into this, could I just walk you through my main points for 10 minutes?”
- During that chat, I was calm but firm. I didn’t complain about the meeting. I just focused on the ideas. I laid out my research, explained my reasoning. I made sure to use phrases like, “Based on what worked for [Another Town], I strongly believe we should consider…”
And you know what? It worked. The organizer actually listened. They asked questions. They saw I wasn’t just throwing random thoughts around. They were like, “Wow, this is really well thought out. Why didn’t we discuss this more?” My point exactly!
At the next, smaller follow-up meeting, that organizer brought up my suggestions. And this time, because someone else was championing them, and because I had already laid the groundwork, people paid attention. A lot of my initial ideas ended up being adopted, and they really helped make the fair a success. It felt so good, not just because the ideas were used, but because I felt seen, and heard. Respected.
So yeah, that’s my little story. It wasn’t about being the loudest, or the flashiest. It was about believing in my own work, finding a different way to get it across, and just calmly, persistently, asking for that bit of respect for the effort I’d put in. A bit of that Missy “I’m worth listening to” vibe definitely helped push me to do it. Sometimes you just gotta make ’em “Work It” to understand your value, you know?
