The woman in this photo took a looooooooooong time to get to that stage. To be able to speak to that room full of women. To have them laugh, to have them gasp, and to guide them to learn about how they, too, could be bold and brave just 14 seconds at a time.
See, there was this journey of becoming that took decades.
She was plagued with self-doubt.
Deathly afraid of public speaking.
Wishing to be invisible (could a hole in the ground just please swallow her up?).
And she was not feeling lovable at. all. (though it wasn’t because people didn’t try)
She was filled with a desire to belong. To be part of something. To matter.
Turns out, the journey was an INWARD one.
To learn how to desire herself.
To belong to herself.
To matter to herself.
To have her own back.
To love herself.
And then she did.
And everything changed for the better.
Of course, she had help along the way. And of course she still sometimes forgets.
But ultimately, she had to fall in love with herself. And when she did, that’s when life got a whole lot better.
And, let’s be honest, life got a whole damn lot more FUN!!! Including speaking in front of a room full of women and making them laugh. Seriously, that’s the BEST!