From Fear to Voice: How I Learned to Speak Up
When I look back, I realize fear has been one of my greatest teachers for public speaking.
As a child, moving schools again and again made me the quiet one. By the time I was eighteen and studying in Switzerland, every class presentation felt like stepping into battle. English wasn’t my first language, and fear often silenced me.
A decade later, since 2019, I found my way into public speaking through teaching yoga and meditation. In those moments, with my eyes closed, I could stay present and guide from a place of calm. But the real test came when I co-founded a startup, Saijai, and began pitching to investors, partners, and clients. This time, my eyes had to be wide open. And fear rose again, whispering: Am I presenting it right? Will I get a green light?
At first, I became deeply attached to the reactions I received from investors and judges. A frown in the audience felt like disapproval. A pause sounded like rejection. A “no” seemed like the end of the road. I carried each response as if it were a judgment on my worth, and the weight of it slowly wore me down. Over time, every pitch left me drained, until I realized I couldn’t keep going like that. That was when I returned to meditation — not to make me a better speaker, but simply to hold myself up. To breathe. To find steadiness again.
Meditation became my anchor, giving me both inner strength and clarity. With practice, I began to see more clearly: those reactions were never absolute truths — they were just perspectives. A “no” was not a verdict on me; it was feedback, data, a chance to try again. I learned to create space between judgment and truth. And in that space, I discovered freedom. Over time, I began to appreciate every opportunity to speak. Because public speaking isn’t just about delivering words. It is about amplifying presence, deepening connection, and expressing your truth in a way that inspires others.
I am deeply grateful to my mentor, Bill Barnett, who always trusted me and gave me opportunities to use my voice. Now, when I step on stage, I no longer see a battlefield. I see a practice — a chance to ground myself, to connect with others, to speak with heart, and to share in the hope of inspiring. Fear still visits, but the goal is not to eliminate fear. The goal is to speak anyway — to transform that fear into courage, and to let courage inspire.
And this is what I want to remind anyone who hesitates to speak: your fear does not diminish your voice — it prepares it. The real power is not in erasing fear, but in rising above it.
Like I shared on stage, here is the simple three-line mantra I carry with me:
I am Worthy — my ideas are worth expressing.
I am Brave — I speak even when I’m afraid.
I am Free — I am free from judgments, nothing defines me.
With love and light,
Viona
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