Two weeks ago I did something I swore I’d never do: I started talking publicly about informed consent, body autonomy, and medical freedom as it relates to immunizations.

This message is not about immunizations, though.

This message is about navigating speaking up about something controversial, particularly when it appears that you’re on the less popular side.

I knew speaking up would mean I would lose followers.

I knew speaking up would likely mean we’d lose sales.

I did not know that speaking up would wreak such havoc on my nervous system, however.

I did not know that 24 hours after my post went live I would want to take it back and crawl in a hole for the rest of my life.

And I did not know that on the other side of the initial fallout I would feel stronger, more informed, and more myself than I’d ever felt before.

I also had no idea that taking a public stand about something so polarizing would bring gifts beyond my wildest imaginings.

This week on the podcast we’re sharing about the journey of speaking out about something we believe in at the risk of losing followers, money, and cache.

Listen in to find out:

• Why all of the risks of speaking out have been so worth it

• How to think for ourselves while swimming in a cultural soup that wants us to do anything but that

• How to signal safety in your nervous system so that you can keep standing up for what you believe in

• The wild thing that happened on social media from my standing up that I didn’t expect

Once you’ve listened in I would love to hear from you.

Have you ever spoken out about something you believed in that was unpopular or controversial? What were the risks? What were the rewards? How did you navigate any potential fall-out? Leave a comment and let me know!

Know this: If you feel like you can’t talk about something, especially when it questions the mainstream, it’s because someone is benefitting from your fear and silence.

But they can’t benefit anymore when you speak up. And the more who speak up, the stronger our voices become.

No matter what your stand is, even if I don’t agree, know that I support your right to say something about it and that I’m cheering you on for saying something even if you’re scared. Especially then.

You can get your own copy of Do Less and still receive incredible bonuses at http://katenorthrup.com/book! Kate wants to hear from you, and you can post about your #DoLess experiences on Instagram, DM her (@katenorthrup) or email [email protected].

Would you, or a company you know, be a good fit to sponsor The Kate & Mike Show? If so, let’s talk! You can email [email protected] regarding current sponsorship opportunities.

Show notes and links for this episode can be found at http://www.katenorthrup.com/podcast.