Most of us have learned to filter what we say. Many of us remain agreeable to avoid conflict. But there’s a cost to silencing what we really think. Over time, those unsaid words can start to harden into resentment or self-doubt.

Think of it like Ariel in The Little Mermaid. She gives up her voice to become who she thinks she needs to be to fit in, to be loved, and to belong. But without her voice, she loses her power, her connections, her sense of self. We do the same thing when we trade honesty for approval.

Speaking honestly is about speaking with truthfulness. When you say what you think, you begin to understand what you actually believe. You come into contact with truth as you known it. That truth becomes a compass for how you live and relate to others.

In therapy, people often rediscover their relationship to their voice. They practice saying what’s real for them. It’s about showing up as yourself.

Finding your voice might not make everything easier, but it will make life more authentic. Like Ariel, once you start speaking your truth, you begin to remember who you really are.