How to Take Up Space Without Apologizing (and Why It Matters)
Let’s get one thing straight:
You were never meant to be small.
But somewhere along the way, someone told you to tone it down.
Don’t be too loud.
Don’t ask for too much.
Don’t wear that.
Don’t take up so much damn space.
And maybe you listened—because survival sometimes requires shrinking. But here’s your permission slip (not that you ever needed one): it’s time to expand. Loudly. Boldly. Unapologetically.
🚫 First: Stop Saying “Sorry” for Existing
You don’t need to apologize for:
- Speaking your truth
- Having boundaries
- Taking a deep breath before responding
- Asking a follow-up question
- Existing in a body that takes up space (shocker: they all do)
“Sorry” has its place—but not when it’s used to make others feel more comfortable with your brilliance.
Try these swaps:
Instead of “Sorry I’m late”: “Thanks for your patience.”
Instead of “Sorry to bother you”: “Do you have a moment?”
Instead of “Sorry I’m emotional”: “This matters to me.”
💥 Why Taking Up Space Matters
Because when you show up fully, you:
Model self-worth for others
Disrupt systems that thrive on silence
Create safer spaces for those who haven’t found their voice yet
Attract aligned opportunities (not ones you have to contort yourself to fit into)
When one person expands, they create room for others to do the same.
✨ What Taking Up Space Looks Like
It’s not always loud. Sometimes it’s…
Wearing the outfit that makes you feel like magic
Declining the invitation you don’t have energy for
Sharing your story, even if your voice trembles
Starting that podcast, blog, or business you’ve dreamed about
Saying “No.” Period. Without a follow-up paragraph
Taking up space doesn’t mean dominating—it means being fully present, with nothing dimmed or edited for approval.
🔥 Final Word
You are not too much.
You are exactly enough—and then some.
So take the damn mic. Wear the bold lipstick. Speak the boundary.
Laugh too loud. Cry if you want to. Dance in your joy. Stand in your truth.
Because this world doesn’t need another perfectly quiet, over-filtered version of you.
It needs all of you.
Unfiltered. Unbothered. Unapologetically sovereign.