The Story You Don't Think Is Worth Telling (It Is)

Let’s have a little heart-to-heart about something I see happen all the time.

Whenever I ask women to prep a story for a presentation or a meeting, I almost always hear the same panicked sentence: “I don’t have an exciting story. Nothing dramatic ever happens to me!”

Sound familiar? We tend to think that for a story to be worth telling, it needs to involve scaling a mountain, surviving a corporate crisis, or a cinematic plot twist. But honestly? That couldn’t be further from the truth.

A few years ago, I had a second thought before an event because I thought my opening: about burning a batch of scones the morning of a big pitch: was far too trivial. I nearly scrapped it for something "professional." Yet, when I finally shared how smelling burnt pastry reminded me to slow down and breathe, the room let out a collective sigh of relief. Heads nodded. People laughed. That "small" moment created an instant bridge of human connection that no corporate case study ever could.

We constantly underestimate our own stories because we live inside them every single day. We forget that what feels mundane to us can feel profoundly comforting or inspiring to someone else.

Here is the secret shift: real speaking confidence doesn't come from having a polished, flawless narrative; it comes from sharing your authentic experiences. When you shift your mindset from performing to sharing, the nerves instantly melt away. You aren't on trial. You're simply telling a friend a truth from your day.

Here for your speaking journey, Leighanne

Storytelling Audiobook : Learn to captivate any audience and turn everyday experiences into magnetic narratives.

Learn to captivate any audience and turn everyday experiences into magnetic narratives.