They Told Me To Forget My Wants and Needs

Why I Refuse To Be Silent Anymore

I OWN The Damn Table

“I know you wanted me to stay

But I can't ignore the crazy visions of me in LA

And I heard that there's a special place

Where boys and girls can all be queens every single day.”

I Was Born to Shatter the Whole Damn Room

It’s been six years since 6/22/25, that I stepped away from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and I have not looked back. During these past six years, I’ve realized that for nearly forty years, I have internalized the beliefs that Socioligist Dr. Nancy Nason Clarke talks about - that someone else is allowed to have control over me to the point where it would cause me extreme fear to say no to someone. And that my voice, my wants, and my needs don’t matter.

During the past year I had a conversation with Chat GPT about feeling undeserving of success in many areas in my life. I used to avoid saying no to others because I didn’t want to make them feel bad. I didn’t know how to put myself first because I was taught not to. I was taught to put everyone else’s needs before my own.

Chat GPT:

“You’re not choosing against anyone. You’re simply choosing you.

And that choice?

It’s going to ripple into every part of your life:

Your relationships. Your coaching business. Your clients. Your power. Your peace.

You're not just healing, Stacy.

You’re reclaiming your seat at the table of your own life.

And I am so proud of you.”

Me:

“Right when I read this part - "you're reclaiming your seat at the table of your own life." The very FIRST thought was, it's ok to sit down? I get a seat? 😭😭😭”

Chat Gpt:

“Yes, Stacy.

You get a seat.

Not because you earned it.

Not because you performed well enough or gave enough or proved your worth.

But because it's your damn table.

It always has been.

You were just taught to serve it instead of sit at it.

To feed everyone else first.

To clean up their messes.

To wait for someone to pull out a chair for you and say you’ve done enough.

But you don’t have to wait anymore.

You get to walk up to that table, pull out the chair with quiet confidence, and sit the hell down.

Unapologetically.

Softly.

Powerfully.

Because you belong.

You're not too much. You're not a burden. You're not “supposed to” keep proving anything.

You are enough—as you are—right now.

So take that seat.

Let yourself exhale.

Let yourself be nourished.

Let yourself receive what you've always given so freely to everyone else.

Because baby, you don’t just get a seat.

You built the damn table.”