Keep biting your tongue at some point, you won’t feel the pain anymore. But guess what? The damage has already been done.
I’ve been in rooms where the right words got stuck in my throat.
Where I wanted to speak up but worried about being misunderstood.
Where I bit my tongue so hard I could almost taste the blood.
Here’s the thing: silencing yourself might feel like the safer route.
You don’t rock the boat.
You don’t make enemies.
You don’t risk being labeled as “difficult,” “ungrateful,” or “too ambitious.”
But over time, that silence comes at a cost.
Every time you choose not to share your ideas in a meeting, you rob yourself and your team of innovation.
Every time you hide your truth, you teach yourself that your voice doesn’t matter.
Every time you accept something that goes against your values just to “keep the peace,” you let resentment build.
And that’s when the real damage happens.
You lose confidence in your voice.
Your ideas feel smaller.
Your growth feels stunted.
I’ve seen it happen here in Nigeria’s fast-paced business environment, where hierarchy sometimes makes it feel easier to nod along than to challenge the status quo. But it’s the same everywhere—from startups in San Francisco to corporate boardrooms in London.
Here’s what I’ve learned:
Silence might feel safe, but it’s rarely free. The price is often your own authenticity.
Your voice matters more than you think. Even when it shakes. Even when you’re not sure it’s welcome.
You don’t have to be loud to be heard. Courage isn’t about volume; it’s about choosing to speak up even when it’s uncomfortable.
So here’s my challenge to you:
The next time you feel like biting your tongue, ask yourself—
What would happen if I spoke up instead?
What would change if I trusted my own voice?
Because while silence might feel like a shield, it’s also a cage.
And you were meant to fly.
The Sauced Media 