Reclaiming the Voice Within

A Soulful Summer Conversation on Self-Trust with Tami Bonnell

Our July Open Table Gathering inside the Red Threads Collective was meant to be fully recorded, but a Zoom glitch resulted in the first 40 minutes being lost. While disappointing, I’m trusting the sacred truth that those who needed to hear it did - in real time, in the moment, live.

I want to honor and share the wisdom Tami Bonnell poured into our circle with a recap, pieced together from Zoom's chat, AI summary, and the lingering resonance of her words.

This gathering was part of our Summer of SELF series... Surrender, Essence, Liberate, Flourish. This chat centered around the theme: Self-Trust: Reclaiming the Voice Within.

Rebuilding Self-Trust

We began by exploring how to return to our inner voice in a world that often rewards external validation. Tami shared personal stories of reclaiming her voice - like stepping back into Taekwondo after a decade away - and offered a grounded reminder: self-trust is built by remembering our past wins, listening to our gut, and honoring our truth, even when it’s uncomfortable.

One practice Tami offered? Writing out pros and cons when you feel stuck, not just about the external situation, but how you feel in it.

Core Values as Your North Star

We talked about values not just as ideals, but as navigation tools. Tami encouraged us to define our values by asking trusted friends how they experience us at our best, and using that feedback as a mirror to clarify who we are when we’re aligned.

She reminded us that our values might evolve, but if we don’t name them, we’ll struggle to live them. Download our Core Values Guide if you’d like to (re)discover yours.

Building Your Self-Trust Compass

We dreamed together about what a “Self-Trust Compass” might look like.

Tami suggested anchoring it with a “True North” question like:

“What do I want the people I love to feel when I’m around them?”

or

“Will this decision make me proud when I look back?”

The chat lit up with brilliant additions from our community:

"How would I behave if I were the best in the world at what I do?"

"What’s one small decision I can make today that feels like a reclamation?"

"Where do I feel expansion vs. contraction?"

Final Reflections: Self-Leadership with Compassion

Tami also spoke powerfully about modeling behavior in life and business. From parenting to partnership, from leadership to legacy - “lessons are caught, not taught.”

She encouraged us to balance compassion with truth, and to remember: “If you don’t answer the call, someone else will.”

We all resonated with flipping the narrative to "our kids should make us proud" to “I want my life to make my kids proud of me!”

Collective Journaling Prompt:

Take this with you into the week:

Where have I outsourced my voice in the past, and what decision — small or large — can I reclaim this week from a place of trust?

From the Circle:

“This is all landing so much. I am in a pause and it’s been so uncomfortable!” – Laura

“There is no such thing as failure. It’s just a course correction.” – Coni

“What is meant for us will come… whether we wait for a painful catalyst or follow our knowing.” – Laurie

“Joy is the unlock!” – Julie

Deepest Gratitude

Tami, thank you for showing up with such clarity, compassion, and conviction. Even without the full recording, the impact of your words lives on in every woman who was there, and in every woman who reads this now.

Let’s keep walking each other home… one compass check at a time.

~Debra

Founder, Red Threads Collective