finding my voice

I'm not really sure what's come over me. I'm not really sure why it took me so long to feel like I could speak up. I've never really been a shrinking violet but in certain situations I have certainly had a tendency to sit back and either speak quietly to a smaller group or keep my thoughts to myself.
Well, not today. In an interesting discussion at work, I think that my voice was heard loud and clear. I surprised myself. I might have surprised the other person in the conversation. But I could not sit quietly and not say anything this time. It was like a flip had been switched and there was no way I could walk out of the room quietly without saying my piece. So I spoke. And it was sort of forceful. And rather direct. And even a bit animated. (I was worked up!) And I hope I didn't offend the other person in the conversation. Or come across as anything but an impassioned person who was sharing her opinion. Which happened to be a very strong one.
But it felt good. It felt right. It was a bit freeing to really just speak my mind even if it meant defying authority a little. Perhaps I'm a rebel after all?! Or maybe, just maybe, at 35 going on 36 I'm just more confident about letting all of the voices in my mind and heart find their own way into the world...