A successful professional I was coaching was preparing for a major high-stakes event in front of colleagues whose opinions mattered to him.

What if something went wrong? What would they think? Would they see him differently afterward?

These fears can become especially intense when you are already accomplished and want others to see you at your best. But the more you worry about how you will be perceived, the harder it becomes to remain present and trust yourself.

In our previous session, we had explored a simple reframe:
“I have time.”

Embodying this phrase worked so beautifully that a colleague noticed the change in him without being told about it. His worries and self-doubt were still there, but instead of fighting them, he allowed them to be present without letting them take over. He was easily able to move with ease and grace as a result.

We also used guided visualization to imagine the event going well. He pictured the room, the people, and the feeling of moving through the experience calmly and successfully.

When the day arrived, he noticed both anxiety and excitement, but he used that energy to focus on the task at hand. Moving more slowly helped him feel grounded, and his calmer pace positively influenced the colleagues working alongside him.

By the end, the balance had tipped clearly toward excitement and curiosity. Thankfully, he no longer needed perfect circumstances to trust himself.

This is at the heart of Dare to Shine: Relax, Create, Contribute, my upcoming 2-day retreat near Amsterdam for musicians, artists, and other visionaries: October 24-25.

You will have a safe, encouraging space to experiment, take risks, and share more authentically what truly interests you, in front of a small group of people who are there to heartily support you rather than judge you.

If you would like to feel freer being seen, heard, and fully yourself, reach out privately to learn more and join the waitlist.

I'd love to see you there – in person!

Joyfully,
Jennifer