Hi, I'm Susan, creator of the Speak Afraid Method, host of the Blossoming Speaker Podcast, author of two books, and someone who has lives through the very thing Blossoming Speaker is built for; to develop a calm and lasting confidence in how you communicate, whether fear shows up or not. I use the Speak Afraid Method because it's a way to communicate with fear still with you in different public settings, so you may achieve meaningful connections and move forward in your journey. Because I've been there, both as the student and the teacher. I enjoy sharing a practical insight each week because lasting communication confidence is built one step at a time. Last few newsletters to read under the Posts tab. This newsletter has been published since 2023. It has been hosted on Kit since 2024.
What to do When Your Mind Goes Blank.
Insight.A blank mind isn’t broken, it is actually asking you a question. “Can we pause for a moment?” Most of the time our mind feels tired, overloaded, anxious, or knocked off course by something unexpected. It is rarely out of ideas about what to say or how to respond. So What?Trying to think harder is actually making it worse because you are trying to solve the wrong question. The way through isn’t more effort. It is noticing what’s actually going on underneath first. I take this perspective that our minds go blank because it is actually trying to force a pause so we can create the space to choose how to respond. Next Step.Next time your mind blanks mid-conversation, take a confident pause and silently check: am I tired, anxious, distracted, or just caught off guard? Breathe. Then in this space you created, decide how you want to respond. The reset takes seconds even though the initial practice of this time feels like forever. But it works because it treats the real cause, not the symptom. All the best, Susan. I love podcasts and the flexibility to listen to them when on the go. A new Blossoming Speaker Podcast is now available. Continue your journey by listening to it on your favourite podcast app and let me know your thoughts. Thank you. |
Blossoming Speaker: Courage to Communicate
Hi, I'm Susan, creator of the Speak Afraid Method, host of the Blossoming Speaker Podcast, author of two books, and someone who has lives through the very thing Blossoming Speaker is built for; to develop a calm and lasting confidence in how you communicate, whether fear shows up or not. I use the Speak Afraid Method because it's a way to communicate with fear still with you in different public settings, so you may achieve meaningful connections and move forward in your journey. Because I've been there, both as the student and the teacher. I enjoy sharing a practical insight each week because lasting communication confidence is built one step at a time. Last few newsletters to read under the Posts tab. This newsletter has been published since 2023. It has been hosted on Kit since 2024.
There are many articles and reels about finding your voice, which usually refers to an inner voice or confidence that comes out through your actual vocal cords. While I always valued the importance of this inner voice, I took for granted my voice projected through my vocal cords and voice box. I did not realise this until the day I lost my voice. I am grateful that I naturally developed good diaphragm and voice projection techniques over my career. I think most of that was learned from the...
I used to believe it was harder to face my public speaking and confidence fears and go through them. It's actually harder to not do this. Staying in your current position, believing it is still a place of comfort, is the hardest part because it impacts all parts of you and your life experiences. Staying still in comfort also takes more energy from you overall compared to continuing with your fear still bothering you. All absolutely normal I learned, but knowing this does little to make...
When messages do not get through clearly, it leaves any change enablement project wanting. Wanting for less uncertainty, less risk, less tension and pressure, and also wanting a clearer, more relevant vision of direction. But getting a message through is never as easy as you may initially plan out in your mind. This is because you need to take into consideration not only the audience you are delivering this message to, but: What their feedback or response may be. What frequency will best help...