I’m so honored and grateful that was able to stand on this stage a month ago and share something I’m so passionate about. But I’m not going to lie, this was the first time I felt extreme anxiety and nerves over a presentation.

I’ve spoken on panels and at conferences before, but this stage’s notoriety intimidated every inch of my being. Here’s why:

I knew my performance was going to be online for ANYONE to see, which led me to put so much pressure on myself in the weeks/days leading up to it. I wanted to represent what I do as a career in the best light, as it’s often still misunderstood and belittled.

But what I have to remind myself is that there’s a reason I was asked to speak at TEDx. What I’m doing is something I took a financial and emotional risk in, something not a lot of people my age or older have been able to do, and that’s pretty unique.

I’m living my dream at 26 years old, and my goal of this talk is to hopefully inspire someone to put their passion out there and see where it takes them. Get ahead of the game by getting started on something you can call your own, something that just might become your full time job. If you do what you love, then you never have to work a day in your life.

Click here to shop the outfit I wore & see my tips on how to prepare for public speaking.

Not to mention, I didn’t have the safety net of a podium to stand at, written text on power point slides to refer to, or notecards to assist me for the first time in my public speaking career. Any future engagements/presentations will be MUCH easier to handle and if anything, that’s what I’m most proud of 😀

Special thanks to TEDx & Ranney School for this life-changing opportunity!