Chapter 2 — The Voice InsideFuture me,Right now, I am not always confident.I wish I could tell you that I walk into every room like I belong there.I wish I could tell you that I speak my thoughts without fear.But the truth is… sometimes I stay quiet even when I have something to say.Sometimes I lower my voice, because I think my words will not matter.Sometimes I feel small, even in my own life.But I am learning.I am learning that confidence is not something you suddenly wake up with one morning.It grows slowly.It grows when you take one step forward, even if your knees are shaking.It grows when you try, fail, and then try again.It grows when you stop asking, “What will people think?” and start asking, “What do I think?”Right now, I am the me who still looks in the mirror and wonders, “Is this enough?”But I am also the me who is starting to say, “Yes, it is enough.”I am teaching myself to stand a little straighter.To make eye contact.To not hide my hands when I talk.To breathe deeply before speaking instead of swallowing my words.Future me, I want you to remember this stage — the stage where I was still unsure, still figuring out my place.Because when you stand tall and speak with ease, I don’t want you to think it was always this way.I want you to remember that once there was a version of you who felt invisible sometimes, but still chose to show up.Confidence is not about being the loudest.It’s about knowing you have a right to be there.I am slowly learning that I don’t have to be perfect to speak.I don’t have to know everything to start.I don’t have to wait until I feel ready — because ready is a feeling that rarely comes.I expect you to take this learning further.I expect you to walk into rooms without rehearsing every step in your mind.I expect you to speak your thoughts without checking if someone else will agree first.I expect you to know that your presence has value, even if you are quiet.And I expect you to remember that confidence is not permanent — you will have to choose it again and again.I also expect you to help others find theirs.Because I know how it feels to doubt yourself.I know the weight of those questions: “Am I good enough? Am I smart enough? Am I ready?”If you see someone else carrying those questions, I hope you remind them what I am reminding you now —Yes, you are enough.And please, don’t mistake confidence for perfection.You don’t need to have everything together to feel sure of yourself.You just need to keep trying, keep learning, and keep showing up.That’s what I’m doing right now, even on days when my voice is small.Future me, one day you will look back and see that this version of you — the one who still loses confidence sometimes — was the one who built the stronger you.I am your foundation.I am the one who is planting the seeds by speaking when it’s hard, by taking opportunities even when they scare me, by believing in myself a little more every day.So when you stand on that stage, or lead that meeting, or make that brave decision…Remember me.Remember that once you were the me who wasn’t sure — but tried anyway.Because that’s where real confidence begins.
