September is a month of change. The air turns crisp, the leaves let go and tumble softly to the ground, each one carrying a whisper. And just like those falling leaves, sometimes we feel our voices drifting down in silence, unsure if they matter. But a whisper doesn’t mean weakness. A whisper is often the beginning of strength. It’s the seed that can grow into a shout of courage.
Bullying Isn’t Just Bruises
When we hear the word “bullying,” many imagine bruises or playground shoves. But bullying often runs deeper. It appears in classrooms, on school buses, in locker rooms, and, yes, even in workplaces and boardrooms. The sting isn’t always visible on the skin; sometimes it lives in the silence of being overlooked, mocked, excluded, or diminished.
Bullies don’t just act out of power; they often carry undervalued feelings of their own, unseen wounds that leak out in the form of control or cruelty. Recognizing this truth doesn’t excuse their behavior, but it helps us reframe what it means: bullying is less about the strength of the bully and more about the silent struggle inside them.
From Silence to Purpose
Too often, silence becomes the hiding place. Children shrink into corners, teenagers journal in secret, and adults bury their wounds under professional smiles. But silence is not our solution. Speaking up transforms the process from pain into purpose, from isolation into connection.
Here is where our Popcorn Theory™ comes alive:
We are all kernels, each holding potential inside. When the heat of pressure comes, the cruelty of bullying, the sting of silence, these are the choices we face. Some kernels stay hidden, never opening. But others rise in the heat and burst open, transforming into something bigger, lighter, and more nourishing.
That’s what speaking up does. It’s the “pop” moment that says: I am here. I matter. I will not shrink.
Whisper to Shout at the Dinner Table
This month, I invite families and workplaces to create Whisper to Shout Moments.
- For children, it might mean whispering what’s happening at school to a parent or teacher and learning that even whispers deserve to be heard.
- For teens, it could be journaling their feelings, letting the page carry their secrets until they are ready to share.
- For adults, it may mean finally speaking aloud about workplace bullying, calling it what it is, and refusing to normalize it.
The dinner table can be the safest stage. Imagine starting with a whisper: “I had a hard day.” And as it grows, it becomes a shout of shared conversation, understanding, and solutions.
September’s Challenge
As the leaves fall this September, don’t mistake their quiet descent for weakness. Falling isn’t failing, it’s a transformation. The tree makes room for new growth. And so can we.
If you are facing a bully, whether in the schoolyard or the office, remember: your voice is not meant for silence. It is intended to rise, to pop, to shout. Not to bruise, but to build. Not to wound, but to transform.
So let us whisper together, then rise into a shout. Because silence never builds purpose, but courage always does.
“Now it’s your turn-Speak up.” Dr. Susan M. Roberts