Written by Wallace Shane Giron Dharmasena, Author
Wallace Shane Giron Dharmasena is an individual with an undying passion for the art of literature and filmmaking. He is the creator of Reflections, a page that focuses on forging thought provoking, heartfelt, and hopeful works of poetry. An author of multiple books, his most notable work being "You, The Beauty & The Madness In Between."
Have you ever wondered if or when you’ll ever find your voice? The voice that speaks the truth of your being, one that is a blatant reflection of who you truly are. The embodiment of your genuine but flawed thoughts and your raw but human emotions. One that is held captive by a plethora of censorship and editing. The voice that is ripped to shreds and reconstructed to appeal to the liking of the masses. One that is deemed justified and worthy of listening to.
What is your voice?
Your voice, in a metaphorical context, is generally how you choose to express yourself. This could range from a multitude of aspects, not limited to the sound that your mouth makes. It could be the way you dress, the way you behave, the way you speak, your perspectives, your ideals, your portrayal of yourself around certain surroundings and people. It is the image that you put there for the world to see, be it authentic or not.
Why is it important to find your voice?
Think of it as a reflection of your values and what you genuinely and wholeheartedly stand for. Most of the time, a few of us if not all are lost. We don’t know who we are, what we truly long for, what is our calling in life, or our purpose for even existing in the first place. All of us generally go through life, developing our own ideals and perspectives by gaining insight and inspiration from the values and ideals of others. It is how all of us start out, and we try to piece it all together along the way. But amidst gaining all that knowledge, it could sometimes lead us astray from what we truly value, which leads to a dead end, feeling lost, perplexed, and clueless all over again.
Unraveling one’s true voice
To provide some insight on how one may be able to uncover one’s voice, here are a few exercises that you can partake in:
1. A blank slate
Sometimes, it’s best to rid our minds of the beliefs and perspectives that we ourselves have learned along the way in our journey of life. I understand that it can be quite daunting to do so, given all that you’ve learned and grasp so far. But it’s one of the few steps that you’ll need to take, in order for you to uncover that hidden gem. After all, you’ll need to start out on a blank canvas, in order for you to craft a new and meaningful masterpiece.
2. Contemplate
Take a moment to ask yourself, in all honesty, upon the things that you truly long for. A brief moment of silent meditation and reflection may help with that. Silencing out all the inner voices of other people and their hopes and expectations, and solely focusing on your own thoughts, emotions, beliefs, values, perspectives, and unconsciousness.
3. Act
It is always good for us to put the knowledge and understanding that we obtain into action. Thus, once you’ve done enough sessions of deep contemplation and meditation, you should be able to grasp a slight idea of what you long for, and the image that you want to portray to the world, through your very own way of expression. Now, it is time for you to act upon those thoughts, beliefs, values, and perspectives because in the end, knowledge without action would mean nothing. It may take some time to get used to it, but that is completely fine. In fact, I would encourage you to take all the time that you need.
The fear of being different
Finding your own voice, also means that you’ll have to deal with a multitude of instances of not having similar ideals and perspectives as other people. These scenarios often lead to a fear of judgment. Being judged for who you are and what you stand for, let alone isolated for it, can be quite painful to experience. The troublesome thought of never fitting in with a group of people, just because you think, act, and perceive things differently, can often lead you to regress and let go of this newfound voice that you have uncovered for yourself.
However, I’d like to think of life as a series of trials. Certain circumstances and situations arise, for the sole purpose of putting these values and beliefs of yours to the test. It may come in the form of day-to-day struggles and challenges that you must face, or it may come in the form of newfound or existing relationships that you have fostered with other people along the way. You’ll have instances where you may disagree with others on different aspects and subject matters. At times, it may even hinder the trait of connection in relationships. And I’d like you to take up the courage to stand firm with your newfound ideals and values. Because when it comes down to it, it is all a matter of mindsets. If you or the person who you are in a relationship with, be it romantic or platonic, have that open-mindedness and willingness to accept and value different points of views, then having your own unique voices can lead to a much more fruitful and insightful relationship.
Ultimately, it all comes down to you. Whether or not you, as an individual, are strong enough to stand by the person who you genuinely are, and what you believe in.
Acceptance of your voice
At last, comes the most difficult part of the process, which is acceptance. I perceive it to be the most challenging aspect, for it is the result of all that you have learned and acted upon in this journey of self-discovery. It is a phase where you yourself will start to question whether all that you are is justified. This could be through measures of other people’s opinions about you or the consensus of the public eye. Which is why, truly overcoming the fear of being different is an essential key to achieving this last step. Because at some point in your life, you are going to have to accept the fact that not everyone thinks the same thoughts as you, perceives things and situations the way you do, feels the same type of emotions as you, or acts the same way as you. And by all means, that is okay. For at the end of the day, you started this journey with the sole purpose of finding your own voice. Whether or not you’ll find other people out there that resonate with your frequency remains to be seen. But as long as you yourself are comfortable and at ease with how you express yourself, that is all that really matters.
Read more from Wallace Shane Giron Dharmasena
Wallace Shane Giron Dharmasena, Author
Wallace Shane Giron Dharmasena is an ecstatic, spontaneous, and hopeful mind. Born with a condition known as Hydrocephalus, which has endowed him with difficulty in walking, coordination, balance, and ridicule in terms of his appearance. He aims to spread a message of hope and redemption in a reality plagued with endless amounts downfalls, dread, and misery. A message that encourages people to look inwards and realize the beauty and goodness that lies within every individual.
