Permission to Take Up Space: Why Your Ideas Deserve a Seat at the Table (Even If You're Still Finding Your Voice)
There’s a quiet message many of us internalize, often from a young age: “Don’t be too much.” Don’t be too loud. Don’t be too confident. Don’t be too ambitious, assertive, opinionated, visible, or emotional. Just stay agreeable. Stay polite. Stay small.
And over time, we start to believe that staying small will keep us safe—that it will shield us from judgment, criticism, or failure. If we don’t speak too boldly, we won’t risk being wrong. If we don’t shine too brightly, we won’t make anyone uncomfortable. But here’s the plot twist: shrinking yourself doesn’t protect you. It only keeps your ideas—and your impact—from reaching the people and places that need them.
You may be used to making yourself smaller to fit the space. But what if the space was always meant to grow to meet you?
Here’s the truth:
Your voice belongs in the room, even if it’s still finding its full volume.
Your ideas deserve air, even if they’re still in progress.
Your presence has value—not when you “arrive” or become perfect, but right now.
Taking up space isn’t about ego—it’s about ownership. It’s about remembering that your lived experience, your questions, your vision, and your contribution matter, regardless of your title, tenure, or how many acronyms come after your name. Confidence isn’t about knowing everything—it’s about knowing you belong.
Ways to start owning your space (with heart, not ego):
Sit at the table. Literally. Don’t default to the edge of the room, the last square on the Zoom screen, or the silent seat in the back. Claim your spot. Be visible.
Say what you do know. You don’t need to have the full answer to add value. Your insight might be the spark that leads to something bigger.
Ask bold questions. Not knowing something isn’t a weakness—it’s a strength to be curious. Great questions shift the room far more than rehearsed answers do.
Swap out softeners. Instead of “This might be silly but…” try “I have a thought.” You don’t need to pre-apologize for having a brain.
Notice when you’re editing yourself to make others comfortable. There’s a difference between being respectful and being invisible.
Let’s be clear: you’re not taking space away from anyone else by showing up fully. You’re reclaiming what’s already yours. And when you do, you make it easier for others to do the same.
You don’t have to bulldoze your way into the spotlight to take up space with purpose. You just have to stop hiding from it. Speak. Move. Ask. Lead. Grow. You don’t need permission.
You just need to take the first step—and that step might be as small as saying, “I have something to add.”
