Silenced Then, Speaking Now: The Secret to Removing What You Were Told You Could Never Be or Do
❝If you were told as a child you were too much, too emotional, too sensitive—know this: you were never too anything. You were just misunderstood.❞
Have you ever felt a quiet, persistent voice whispering that you’re not good enough? Are your dreams just out of reach, even when everything looks “fine” on the outside?
If so, you’re not alone. For many of us, that voice isn’t truly ours. It’s the echo of childhood moments when we were misunderstood, misinterpreted, or even shamed for simply being who we are.
We were programmed to believe that certain aspects of our being—our intuition, sensitivity, joy, or uniqueness—were “wrong.” Over time, these external judgments became internalized beliefs.
But here’s the truth:
What somebody told you is not who you are.
And the way you are now is simply a reflection of what you took on as a child, not a reflection of your true essence.
My Story: The Moment I Chose to Hide
I was 9 years old, celebrating the holidays at my aunt’s house. She had beautiful portraits of our great-grandparents lining the walls—like something out of the Harry Potter movies, where the ancestors seemed to come alive whenever we spoke their names.
That year, I saw my great-grandfather, Nono Josh, pacing the floor, snapping his pocket watch shut, and muttering to himself. As I approached him, he asked where his wife was. I knew her picture had fallen off the wall and was being repaired, so I explained that she might be with her portrait, trying to reassure him with my childlike wisdom and heart.
He seemed calmer, and I felt radiant. Seen. Helpful. Alive.
But then came the adults.
“What are you doing?”
“What’s going on over there?”
And then the dagger: “Keep it to yourself.”
My joy? Snuffed out like a candle.
In that instant, I internalized the message that being who I naturally was—intuitive, connected, expressive—was dangerous, inappropriate, and unfit.
It took decades before I realized how that moment had quietly scripted my life story, shaping how I showed up in relationships, work, and even how I talked to myself.
❝One sentence in childhood can write chapters of limitation in adulthood—unless we learn to rewrite the story.❞
The Science Behind the Subconscious
According to neuroscientist Dr. Bruce Lipton, a child’s brain operates predominantly in theta waves—between ages 2 and 7—which is a highly programmable state. Everything we see, hear, and feel during those years is absorbed as truth, without a filter.
We don’t just hear what we’re told.
We become it.
This principle is echoed in the work of experts like John Kehoe, founder of LearnMindPower.com, who teaches that the subconscious mind is not only moldable, but that with training, it can become your greatest tool for living a limitless life.
So if you were told:
“You’re too emotional.”
“Be quiet.”
“You don’t belong here.”
Your subconscious logged those as facts, not opinions. And unless consciously addressed, they’ll continue to run the show—through self-sabotage, anxiety, perfectionism, or invisibility.
The good news is that you can reprogram it.
3 Transformational Ways to Remove Old Programming
1. Identify the Origin Story
Ask yourself: When was the first time I felt ashamed of who I was? When did I learn it was safer to stay small?
Let the memory rise—without judgment. It might seem trivial, but trust what appears. These moments often stem from someone else’s unhealed pain—a parent overwhelmed, a teacher dismissive, or a sibling lashing out.
❝By locating the root, you uproot the lie.❞
Then say: “That was their fear, not my truth.”
2. Feel It Fully, Then Free It
Unprocessed emotions don’t disappear—they bury themselves in your body and manifest as illness, tension, or emotional triggers.
Once you’ve located the memory, feel it fully. Cry. Shake. Scream into a pillow if you need to.
Then take a deep breath, place your hand over your heart, and say out loud:
❝This belief is not mine. I remove it instantly and reclaim my truth now.❞
Blow out forcefully and throw your hands up—like you’re sending it to the heavens. Let your body experience the shift.
❝Emotion is energy in motion. Let it move, and it will leave.❞
3. Reprogram with Truth and Love
The subconscious mind learns through repetition and emotional experiences. Use both.
Every day, look into your eyes in the mirror and say: “I am worthy of being seen, celebrated, and loved exactly as I am. I was born more than enough.”
Do this daily for 21 days to begin rewiring your neural pathways. Speak with feeling. Speak as if you’re comforting your 9-year-old self. Because in many ways, you are.
❝Speak to yourself the way you needed to be spoken to. And watch how you begin to bloom.❞
Why This Matters—Now More Than Ever
As the New Year dawns, many of us are setting goals, dreaming big, and calling in more—more purpose, more visibility, more love, more peace.
But dreams built on a foundation of unworthiness will always feel unstable.
They’ll wobble. They’ll collapse.
Not because you’re broken, but because a part of you still believes the old story.
Now is the time to heal that part.
- Hold her. Hear her.
- Love her.
- And then, set her free.
When you do, you step into a version of yourself that is magnetic, aligned, and whole.
❝You don’t need to become someone new. You need to remember who you were before the world told you who to be.❞
Let this be the year you return to yourself.
Let this be the moment you choose YOU.
With love, Susan Shatzer
“You were never too much. You were just more than they could understand.” — Susan Shatzer
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