About this quote

Holding a story inside drains energy and narrows choices. It turns possibilities into rehearsals and keeps you small in front of what you want to make. Do something concrete: write a paragraph, read it once out loud, or tell one trusted person. Speaking or sharing won’t fix everything, but it stops the slow erosion that silence causes.

When to use it

• When I'm about to email my first manuscript to an editor and my hands are shaking, I tell myself to hit send.
• Before I call my parents to say I'm moving across the country, I remember this to stop rehearsing and just speak.
• At the support group, when I bring up the memory I’ve avoided for years, I use the line to give myself permission to speak.
• Before pitching a rough prototype to investors, I remind myself to show what I have instead of hiding the work.