Finding My Voice: A Reflection on Speaking, Fear, and Creative Confidence

For as long as I can remember, I’ve said, “I don’t speak.”

Many of my friends and colleagues do it with such flair, humour, and ease, and I never felt I had that same rhythm or confidence. I prefer to step back and watch them light up - but it became my go-to line, a simple way to sidestep the spotlight and stay safely behind the scenes. If I’m honest, that came from fear. Fear that my words wouldn’t land with conviction. Maybe even a trace of my corporate past lingering, one I’ve spent years gently unlearning and softening.

It was easier to say I wasn’t good at it than to admit I was afraid of being seen.

But sometimes, the universe has other plans.

Two organizations reached out and asked me to speak about branding - one of them being the BC Fairs Conference this past weekend in Victoria. I could have politely declined. Instead, something inside me said, “Just do it, you loser!”

So, I said yes. And, dare I say, I actually enjoyed it - but that may have been the incredible group I was with.

On the other side of fear, I discovered a different kind of creativity. Speaking opened up a sense of belonging I hadn’t expected. I realized that sharing my perspective is just another form of design - shaping ideas, stories, and experiences that connect people. And that, I truly love.

I do love what I get to do. I love branding, development, and helping businesses grow with intention. But standing up there, speaking that passion out loud, gave it a new kind of weight, and a quiet joy I hadn’t realized I was missing. It turns out, growth doesn’t always arrive as a grand gesture. Sometimes it’s just one small, brave yes.

When you have the right circle of people in your life, the ones who encourage you, challenge your thoughts, and collaborate with you, anything feels possible.

I’m grateful to have found my voice, and even more grateful to use it in ways that nurture creativity, community, and the businesses I believe in. Not that I’m planning to chase a circuit of microphones - but like a friend noted, it doesn’t have to be my thing, but now that fear is gone, there’s space for new opportunities to find joy.

Here’s to saying yes, even when it scares you, and making room for possibility to sneak in.