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It’s Always the Quiet Ones You Have to Watch Out For
Behind the calm exterior lies a story of hidden struggles and resilience. I explore the unseen challenges of mental health and the courage to speak up.
“It’s always the quiet ones you have to watch out for,” they whisper behind the crime scene tape.
There are imposters walking among you. People who look and sound perfectly normal. People who have learned to “pass”. I don’t like that word, “pass”. Let’s call a spade a spade. People who have learned to pretend, to act, to set themselves aside for the benefit and comfort of others. People sitting right next to you who are silently screaming in pain and agony and you will never know it. Because they do not feel safe.
When I first wrote this, it was at the behest of a trade organization who invited me to speak at their event. In the 2 months since I received my invitation from them, there is one thought that plagued me, day and night. “I’ll never work in this industry again. I’m throwing away a 20 year career as a consultant.”
We don’t feel safe.
But here I am anyway, because it’s always the quiet ones you have to watch out for, and if I don’t speak up, who will? If I don’t speak up, nothing gets…