Research shows that public speaking is feared more than death.

How was it doing this for the first time? Did I fear for my life? No. But other anxieties kicked in hard.

Certainly, the vast majority of people rank fear of public speaking as number one—75% according to the National Institutes of Mental Health, and I definitely used to be one of them. I do have this toxic trait though: if something scares me, I'll be going head-on!?

It was back in 2020, when even the thought of saying a word or two in front of a small audience would paralyze me, that I set myself the goal of overcoming this overwhelming phobia.

Yes, it took me 4 years of taking small steps and every opportunity to practice, to finally be able to make it to the stage with my own material.

Fake it till you make it.?

Has it been a flawless performance? Certainly not. The imposter syndrome kicked in hard the very moment my feet touched the stage. I completely lost faith in my material, thinking it would provide no value to the audience full of industry experts. I also completely lost any recollection of what I was supposed to say... but here are the few things that helped overcome this initial block.?

Power to the PowerPoint ^^?

Preparation is key. I knew exactly what story I wanted to tell, and luckily, I backed it up well with the slides. In moments of complete memory loss - caused by nervousness - I had a slide that would bring me back to the flow.

Laughter eases the tension.?

I purposely planted a few moments for shared laughter, not only to grab and maintain attention but also to entertain myself as well as the audience. Well-planned humor turned out to work well to add some color to the story, and helped me relax throughout the presentation.

Fashion to the rescue!?

I like to have fun with bright colors and bold fashion choices. It makes me feel good, and gives me something to lean on when I feel that my confidence might be chipping away... I came out in a wild pink tracksuit with glued-on green crystals, combined with a long skirt and, well... IT WAS GIVING ME LIFE!

Fashion is a form of expression. My advice is to wear something that feels authentic to you, and most importantly, is COMFORTABLE to move around in.

What I found, is that giving such a performance can be very draining, and the fear of judgment lies underneath everything. That little, cheeky monster inside of you saying that you have no value to add, giving you all the sweat. BUT, trust the process, ask others to help validate your material, prepare, and just go for it.

Overall, it was a very valuable experience.?It turned out people were happy to listen, exchange ideas and discuss presented topic in more details afterward. I gained new knowledge, new connections and I will definitely keep on practicing this newly found muscle ;)?

Concluding this break down of my experience, I'd like to express my gratitude to my colleagues Martyna Frydel Paulina M?odzik Maciej Labedz & Monika Krupińska for their support, and to the fantastic #HREBnieofficjalnie Community for creating this opportunity and encouraging me to step outside of my comfort zone <3