I Wish Someone Had Taught Me This at Sixteen

I wish someone had taught me self-advocacy when I was sixteen instead of leaving me to work it out the hard way in my twenties.

Young people today are carrying so much. School stress, social pressure, family expectations, a phone that never really lets them switch off. And underneath all of it, most of them were never actually taught how to say “this isn’t working for me” out loud.

That’s what self-advocacy is, really. Not a big dramatic speech. Just knowing what you need and being willing to ask for it, even when your voice shakes a little.

I remember exactly what it felt like to swallow a need because I didn’t think I was allowed to have it. Asking a teacher for help. Telling a friend a joke actually hurt. Admitting I wasn’t okay when everyone assumed I was fine. Every time I didn’t say something, it didn’t disappear. It just moved inside and sat there.

What I want young people to know is this: your needs aren’t an inconvenience to other people. They’re information. The earlier you learn to hand that information over instead of hiding it, the less weight you end up carrying alone.

What’s something you needed as a teenager that you never asked for?

If you’re a young person or you’re supporting one, Self Advocacy Unleashed was built to make this easier to learn early. Join the waitlist, link in bio.

Madeleine x