Does the thought of public speaking make your heart leap — in terror? ​ What happens next? Do you judge yourself for being nervous? Do you feel inadequate to play the role of “speaker”? Do you wish you could figure out how the heck to just get it over with? I promise you that you are not alone. Anticipating being seen and heard can feel very vulnerable, and our insecurities often jump to the surface when we are asked to speak to a group. However, with some simple changes in

Don't let anyone fool you into thinking some people just have that it factor. Of course there are the Steve Martins, Amy Poehlers, Cynthias and Arianas of the world - always charming and entertaining in any situation. But, most of the time, that unidentified quality in a great speaker, a phenomenal singer, or a captivating actor, is really just a reflection of one thing. Rehearsal! That moving, seamless speech or performance is usually the natural outcome of well used

“I suddenly got really nervous.” -me right after signing up for a local tennis league My immediate reaction? I don't like how this feels. Tennis is fun! WTH? Where did that fun feeling go? My body gave me sensations - my heart rate went faster. My muscles tensed. My breathing was more shallow. I was definitely IN this reaction. And then I was able to zoom out a little bit to observe it unfolding, too. I didn't want my fun hobby to feel like an exam

If you've ever coached with me, you've probably heard me say that presenting is the art of being present. When you're in front of your team or a client or a room full of strangers, being present means… 🌞 Thinking clearly 🌞 Listening intently 🌞 Trusting your flow 🌞 Truly connecting with your audience (instead of talking at them) 🌞 Gaining their trust 🌞 Potentially raising your earning potential On the flip side, not being present means… 🌩 Trying to replicate e

We communicate with our phones. We call, text, email, dm, you name it. We take video with our phones. Easy breezy. Maybe your company needs you to record an introduction video. Or perhaps you’ve realized you’re the one who should be demoing your product on camera. To get you ready for your close up, here are 5 steps to make it less cringe. 5 Steps to Feel Less Awkward Talking Directly to Camera 1. Write a script that’s easy to say. Long complex sentences won’t work as

Whoever thought up the word “networking” should give me a call, because I have some questions for them. Like, “Why?” And, “Really?” I can't think of anything less inspiring or motivating than the word “networking.” I know from decades of coaching that when most people hear “networking,” what they really hear is, “forced small talk followed by awkward shop talk.” That's not exactly my idea of a good time. When seen in this light, networking can bring up feelings of

You’ve clearly identified the type of company you’d love to work for, the kinds of projects you’d like to be involved with, and the impact you’d like to make. You’ve tweaked your resume, networked your heart out, and sent your strategically crafted cover letters to the right people. And now you have the interview! ​ Gulp. For most people, interviewing is nerve-wracking. We so badly want to say and do the right things to secure the results we want. It’s crucial we appear confi

I used to begin coaching sessions with new clients by asking them what they wanted to get out of our time together. I thought it was a straightforward question, but to my surprise, it was a surprisingly hard one to answer. Don't get me wrong - they had things to say! It's just that they answered everything except for what I asked. They had a ton of ideas about what they didn't want, or fears associated with their avoidance of public speaking. Like these: I don't wan

I left the class feeling drained and stressed. 🙁 ​ But…intellectually, my brain was feeling pretty satisfied. ​ Weird. 🤔 ​ What was happening here? ​ I thought back. ​ 🌱 The teacher/CEO was engaging – she was enthusiastic and really knew her stuff. ​ Ok…good! ✅ ​ 🌱 The topic – how to scale your business – was important to me. ​ Good again. ✅ ​ 🌱 I was picking up some good insights and tips about creating programs. Just want I wanted. ✅ ​ What else? ​ The class was o

I used to believe that the more skilled I was, the less nervous I would be. Years ago, as an actress, I figured that the more training I had, the less anxious I would feel before performances and auditions. But, somehow, the opposite was true. Sigh. The more I worked on my craft, the higher my standards became to get things “right”. I wanted everything to be 100% emotionally truthful. Authentic. Natural. Spontaneous. These aren’t bad things to want. I LOVE perfo

"Presenting is the art of continually being present." - Me When you are fully present in the room (or on Zoom), your audience is much more likely to stay present with you. When you are present, they are more likely to... 🌼 Let go of their worries for a bit 🌼 Put their phones away The present moment is where you have the most power. A lot of the work I do with my clients is to help them shift away from: "I just want to get this over with!" ...and shift to: "I'm excited to

We did it! We're here in 2026! To be honest, I'm still sorting through all that happened in 2025. And at the same time, I'm definitely ready for that fresh new start feeling. My friend Laura and her husband, Eric, came over on New Year's Eve to celebrate with Art and me. She had a pumpkin pie, presents🎁, a 4-point plan, paper, and pens. Laura's 4-point plan for saying bye-bye to 2025: 1. Think of a few things I don't want to bring into 2026. ❌ 2. Write them on a

Hey there! ​ It's me, Amanda the tooth fairy, here to deliver a little treat… 🦷 🧚 A free meditation just for you! I created this meditation to help you ease your nerves and feel more centered in just 7.5 minutes. 🧘 Meditation is a simple, powerful, and awesome way to signal to your body that it's okay to let go of stress and anxiety. It's been proven to have amazing short and long term effects on our mental and physical health. 😌 And, it can be done in your jam

Which comes first - your confidence or your presentation message? 🥚🐔🥚🐔🥚🐔🥚🐔🥚🐔🥚🐔🥚🐔🥚🐔 After supporting one-on-one clients to create presentations that feel alive, relevant, and relatable for over two decades, I have a strong opinion on this. Ready for it? Here's my answer. They feed each other. CONFIDENCE ←→ PRESENTATION As your confidence in knowing who your audience is grows, your presentation gets stronger.💪 As your presentation gets more clear

There is a restaurant in San Diego that I am unlikely to ever visit. It's not because it has bad reviews. (People really love this place!) And I never got food poisoning there. It's because… …of its name. It's called The Broken Yolk. I have never ever liked broken yolks! 🍳 EVER! I was about to launch into all of my negative feelings about runny yokes, but I am already starting to feel queasy and sick. Before you start to tell me how magnificent eggs benedict