You’re the Missing Voice at the Table
You weren’t supposed to speak up.
You were raised to be polite, agreeable, easy to work with.
You learned to minimize what hurt, to smile through confusion, to shrink so no one else had to feel uncomfortable.
But I’m going to tell you something your doctor, your employer, or even your family might never say:
Your voice matters.
And right now, it’s missing from the room where decisions about your health are being made.
You Don’t Need Another Advocate—You Need Your Own
You’ve spent years waiting for someone to fight for you.
But what if the person you’ve been waiting on… is you?
You are not too much for asking questions.
You are not dramatic for needing answers.
You are not overreacting for feeling like something’s off.
You’re aware. You’re paying attention. And you’re allowed to say, “This doesn’t sit right with me.”
I know it’s scary to speak up. Especially when you’ve been dismissed before.
But I’m telling you this because I care:
No one knows your body better than you.
And if you don’t speak, someone else will speak for you.
You Don’t Have to Sound Like a Specialist to Be Taken Seriously
You don’t need perfect vocabulary.
You don’t need to explain your symptoms with clinical precision.
You don’t need to sound like you’ve been to school for it.
You are the expert on your body—and that’s enough.
Your lived experience is valid.
Your symptoms are data.
Your pain is proof.
And just because they can’t measure it doesn’t mean it isn’t real.
You’re Not Alone in This
You might not have friends who understand what you’re going through.
You might be used to being the strong one, the quiet one, the one who never complains.
But I want to be that voice in your corner.
The one that says:
You’re not crazy.
You’re not lazy.
You’re not imagining things.
You’re paying attention. And that is power.
You Have Every Right to Be at That Table
Your story is not too complicated.
Your pain is not too inconvenient.
Your voice is not too loud.
The system may have tried to silence you.
But I won’t.
And now—you won’t either.
Speak up. Even if your voice shakes.
Ask again. Even if they sigh.
Reclaim your seat. Even if they try to ignore you.
You’re not just welcome at the table. You’ve been missing from it.
And now it’s time to take your place.