You have a right to be heard. You have the right to be listened and responded to when you take a stand
It’s easily done, and I’ve observed it often. When someone is faced with a challenge, task or need to stand up for themselves I can see the look of resignation cross their face as they turn and walk away from it. It doesn’t seem to matter how passionate they are about whatever it is, and I can almost feel the disappointment seeping out of their pores as they pass.
I’m not sure where this underestimation of themselves stems from though I think it may be a by-product of being told, by almost everything we encounter in our day to day lives, that we can’t or mustn’t do things. When it comes to our personal attitudes, vision, or goals that we set for ourselves I’m here to shout out that we shouldn’t listen.
You have a right to be heard. You have a right to be listened and responded to with as much decorum and respect as you show when you do take a stand. It doesn’t matter how big or powerful you may perceive the person or organisation to be, you have the right.
Every single person is remarkable and can accomplish great things and it counts most when you come under pressure or face a challenge in your life that literally gets you gulping at its apparent enormity.
You have it, I have it, everyone has it. You just need to believe that you have it.
I recall after the train crash wondering why it had happened and what circumstances had led to it happening. The only way I could see that I would ever find any answers were to ask questions. After that it occurred to me that if I were to get truthful answers that was going to be dependant on who I decided to ask and, in my case, that seemed to be government and the heads of the rail authorities.
Now, no-one had told me that I was in a position to approach these kinds of institutions nor that they would reply. However, and this is the crux, neither had anyone told me I couldn’t. ‘Shouldn’t’ had been said but that’s not quite the same and I chose to ignore that piece of advice.
Getting replies or answers from them was a different matter ranging from good, OK to avoiding but that was drilled down by persistence, tenacity, and the very firm belief that I had the right.
And what came of it in the end? Myself, and my fellow survivors who stood with me, were able to hold the institutes in power to account and the entire country’s rail safety systems were overhauled and improved.
I would never have dreamt beforehand that this was possible. I am just an ordinary person so why would I have the temerity to assume I could influence anything. Well, that is one attitude I am very glad I have deleted from my personal makeup and now have very little fear in tackling anything that may cross my life path.
Next time you a facing something where the easier path would be to walk away, I ask you to stop. Turn, take a deep breath, and repeat to yourself ‘I have the right’ then face and tackle it.
I stuck my head above the parapet and, OK so the powers that be tried to shoot it off, however I stuck to my guns in the sincere belief I had the right
