Chapter 1: Understanding the Desire to Shrink

Do you often find yourself fading into the background? It's time to step into the spotlight and let your true self shine!

I stand at 5 feet 10 inches, or 178 centimeters, making me a fairly tall woman. I reached this height relatively quickly; by the age of 11, I towered over my classmates. Posing for school photos was particularly awkward as I found myself head and shoulders above everyone else. I often attempted to appear smaller, not wanting to attract attention.

Shopping for clothes was a struggle, especially finding pants that were long enough. Honestly, I seldom wear heels!

This inclination towards smallness affected other aspects of my life as well. I avoided standing out or excelling, hiding my true self for far too long. If you've followed my journey, you know this year has been about significant change and personal growth. I'm actively working to escape negative thought patterns and making substantial progress. As I become more self-aware, I notice transformations in various areas of my life.

One significant challenge has been learning to stop minimizing myself.

Why Do We Make Ourselves Small?

This topic could fill an entire book. However, to summarize, many people experience this phenomenon over time. Children typically start their lives full of wonder and excitement, naturally standing tall and empowered. But as they grow, various experiences chip away at their self-worth:

• Repeated teasing leads to feelings of not fitting in.
• The fear of judgment becomes overwhelming.
• Low self-esteem exacerbates negative self-beliefs.
• The fear of criticism causes avoidance of challenges.
• Confronting wrongdoings becomes too daunting, leading to self-isolation.

As someone who is tall, I often feared physically standing tall, worrying I might intimidate others. For years, I adopted a hunched posture or leaned to one side, trying to appear shorter. I was willing to compromise my health just to fit in.

Eventually, I realized I needed to change—not just physically, but also mentally. I had to shift my self-perception and stand tall because no one else could make that change for me.

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, ‘Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?’ Actuall