Elevate Your Success: Self-Adcoacy Vs. You

Leasia Posey

Image by Leasia Posey

When we think of advocacy, we often imagine ourselves as the barrister, the one who prepares the case and delivers the argument. But in reality, we are not just delivering advocacy. We are also the client, the evidence, the negotiation, the trial, and the verdict in the case of Self-Advocacy vs. Self.  

In a relatable sense, self-advocacy can seem like the moment where you walk into a space you know you have worked hard to be a part of, but the moment you project it, you or your environment could say to you:  

Don’t speak too soon. 

Don’t ask for too much. 

Don’t say no. 

Advocacy could seem "conformational." The truth is, it is advocacy that creates your voice for you even in a room that "isn't designed" for you.   

Before going into how this can look for yourself, let's understand the skills that help advocacy in all forms. To know that we need to know what are the different types of advocacy.

Individual Advocacy 

• Directed to only 1-2 individuals. 

• Formal and Informal 

• Informal: Parents, Friends, Family, "vulnerable people" 

• Formal: Organizations that pay their staff to advocate for someone or a group of individuals 

System Adcocacy

• Changing policy, Law, or rules that impact how someone lives their life.  

• Targets local, state, or National agencies.  

• Focusing on changing laws, or simple written or unwritten policy 

We will focus on one of the most important forms that influence how you can apply this to individuals and systems.

Self-Advocacy:  referring to an individual's ability to effectively communicate, convey, negotiate, or assert his or her interests, desires, needs, and rights. 

Understand Yourself: The Root of Self-Advocacy 

Self-advocacy begins with self-awareness. Before you can define your boundaries, you need to feel where your limits begin. This process includes exploring the whole spectrum of your well-being and ambitions. This is something that we evaluated in "1% is Enough"; by knowing the non-negotiables in your life, you can begin to understand the importance of each that gives quality to your advocacy. Let’s refresh:  

• Health & Wellness: Are you sleeping enough? Eating well? Feeling rested, safe, and whole? 

• Wealth & Money: Do you understand your financial needs, habits, and goals? What does economic stability look like to you? 

• Career: What environment energizes you? Are your skills aligned with your values? 

• Mindset & Intelligence: Do you trust your ability to learn, unlearn, and grow? What narratives do you need to be rewritten? 

• Relationships: What does a healthy connection mean to you? Are you surrounded by people who reflect and respect your voice? 

• Spiritual Wellness: If applicable, how does your spiritual life influence your choices, healing, and values? 

Understanding yourself means developing the inner language that shapes how you show up in the world. Through personal research, self-reflection, and asking hard questions, you begin to build a blueprint for how to move with intention. But self-advocacy doesn’t stop there; it requires ongoing practice, meaningful community, and personal accountability. So how do you bring that inner understanding into action? Here are a few ways to make it tangible in your everyday life: 

Communicate Effectively; even to yourself. 

Use the Five C’s of persuasive communication: 

• Clear 

• Concise 

• Coherent 

• Complete 

• Compelling 

Whether you're sending an email, asking for a raise, or setting a boundary with a friend—these principles help you express impact. So, find a way through your intuitive thoughts to give that same mentality.  

“I know I am capable of this project even if it’s my first time.” These quotes are commonly known as “affirmations,” setting a consistent direction for your narrative.

Build Trust in Yourself 

The best way to hold yourself accountable for your goals is to visualize and script the results. Many common practices only take a few minutes, providing a way to regularly return to your values. This helps you re-anchor when imposter syndrome creeps in or when your voice feels small. Examples of this are:

• Journaling.

• Create a visual mood board.  

• Write a personal mission statement. 

Engage With Aligned Communities 

Join or build support groups, creative collectives, spiritual circles, or activist spaces that advocate for what you believe in. You’ll gain tools, language, and courage from others walking the same path. 

Allow Space for Failure and Flexibility 

Image By Leasia Posey

Logical development means understanding that growth isn't linear. You may fall short. You may get it wrong. That’s okay. 
The point is to try again with more clarity, more direction, and a little more of your truth each time. 

• Understand your needs: Reflect on your strengths, weaknesses, preferences, and what you need to thrive. 

• Practice mindfulness: Engage in activities that encourage mindfulness, like meditation or mindful walks in nature 

• Persistence and patience: Self-advocacy often requires perseverance. Be prepared for setbacks and maintain a resilient attitude. 

•  Make time for hobbies and activities that bring you joy and help you relax 

• Document everything: Keep records of important communications, agreements, or incidents. 

You Are Valid. 

The main thing you need to understand about self-advocacy is that You Are Valid. 

Even when your voice shakes, when your confidence slips, when the room feels too big and the answers feel just out of reach, you are valid for asking questions, for saying, “I don’t understand,” and for wanting to learn without being judged for not knowing everything already. For wanting to try something new, even if it makes no sense to anyone else, choosing to follow curiosity instead of certainty is a form of self-advocacy. Choosing a path that others didn’t expect for you—or that you didn’t expect for yourself. Even when feeling lonely in a crowded room or space, you are valid for being quiet and for wanting to be the loudest one in the room. For setting boundaries. For saying “no” and meaning it. For saying “yes” because something finally aligns with your truth. You don’t need permission to take up space. You don’t need to wait until you're fully ready to start speaking up for yourself. The very act of honoring your needs, even quietly, even clumsily, is self-advocacy in motion.