My intent for writing this book is to take you on a journey that touches a place in you - your heart. If you believe, like I do, that truth is the way forward ... this book is for you. If you do not believe truth is the way forward ... this book is for you. I believe the world can change and heal when the truth is told from the heart. I want to encourage you to be willing to take a chance. To stand up using your voice to speak up for the truth, that lays on your heart. Allow your courageous self to step into full view. Show the world who you are. Say proudly, this is where I stand. Say I am here to be heard. As you take off and fly, I ask you to remember that your own discovery is only part one of a two-part journey.

Thankfully, there is always another person or other persons to consider to invite into your world of courageous conversation. As you engage them, be understanding and appreciate their difference as a gift to you. This is where speaking what is on your heart, speaking what you feel, and speaking what you think begins. It is a personal challenge that will be both delightful and disappointing at times. This is what your living is all about.

This book speaks to how you can re-script your story by looking inside yourself through self-reflection and curiosity, and by outside yourself with questions that inspire empathy, compassion, and yes, courageous truth. There is a daily Truth mirror practice guide to encourage you to ask, and answer questions. At the end of each story there is the invitation to reflect and write in your journal to tell your story your way.

The intent of this book is to inspire you and to increase your understanding of how and when you speak your truth. Speaking what is on your heart, speaking what you are feeling, and thinking deeply are the pathway to embracing who you are. As you become reacquainted with yourself, my hope is that it causes you to smile. It is not always a comfortable journey; but it is one worth taking.

It is a joy for me to share these insights and real stories of other people lives with you, as they have been told to me. The impact and joy of storytelling is that it can touch us in places you sometimes cannot get to on your own. You will recognize some of the stories as your story. As I listened to the stories, my joys, my pains, my delights, and my disappointments surfaced. All have brought me to a place of wonder, curiosity, and surprise. I am Looking forward to the ongoing adventure of living my life truthfully in the moments as they present themselves, as I hope you will be too.

"Your Voice Matters" comes to you with my heartfelt appreciation of your willingness to take this leap of faith into your journey forward. It will offer you awareness and insights lifting some of the same feelings I have felt to your consciousness and others you did not know were there. I Know and trust that as you take the journey, you can and will make the spot where you stand in our world beautiful, simply because ... your voice matters!