68. Having a Voice That Counts
“I knew that if I became a US citizen, my voice would count more. And I could use my voice to help other voices count,” explains host Alejandra. Over the years, Alejandra has helped many people with their communication skills, but she didn’t become a transformative communication expert overnight. Today, she shares her personal journey that shaped her and the lessons she learned along the way.
When Alejandra first moved to the United States from Argentina, she somehow felt she was turning her back on her home country and family. When she became a U.S. citizen, she realized that her heart could belong to two countries and that becoming a citizen would make her voice count more. With this in mind, Alejandra urges all her American listeners to use their voices for good and vote in the upcoming midterm elections.
What we learn from our personal experiences can lead to having a voice that counts. Learn more about Alejandra’s move to the United States, her inner conflict with becoming a U.S. citizen, and how voting is the most significant transformative communication tool.
Quotes
• “I was part of a phenomenon called brain drain, which refers to the migration of educated or professional people from one country to another.” (4:04-4:14 | Alejandra)
• “You can imagine how scared I was to become a citizen of another country. Well, I worked on this internal conflict for years. I wanted to be respectful of myself, my choices, my heart's longing, my spiritual path, and my life's journey. I also wanted to be respectful of my Argentinian family, my route, my ancestors, and my cultural background. Like many of the wonderful people I have supported over the years, when we have an internal conflict, We experience an inner split, in which one part of us wants to do one thing while another part of us wants to do something different. And unless we engage with our inner conflict with awareness, openness, maturity, and gentleness, we tend to see things as black or white and consider them as a zero-sum game.” (4:24-5:24 | Alejandra)
• “I knew that if I became a US citizen, my voice would count more. And I could use my voice to help other voices count.” (5:47-5:57 | Alejandra)
• “Through transformative communication, I have learned to have a sense of belonging to both countries.” (10:09-10:17 | Alejandra)
• "The most transformative communication tool you may have access to is to vote. When you vote, your voice counts. When you don't vote, you let others make decisions.” (10:20-10:37 | Alejandra)
• “If you are in the United States, and you do have the right, make your voice count, and vote on November eighth.” (11:44-11:53 | Alejandra)
Links
To take the What's Your Most Self-sabotaging Communication Habit quiz, visit: languagealchemy.com/quiz
To ask a question or request a topic, visit: languagealchemy.com/podcastquestion
To join the mailing list, and view show notes, visit: languagealchemy.com
Podcast Music composed by Gary Lapow: open.spotify.com/artist/1HlMhcNfKIELxYil5mVqDI
