Sitting in the audience of women at an international networking event the only man in the room stood up drawing everyone’s attention front and center. By invitation he joined our assembly to not just give any speech but one that addressed the importance of women in his life. What was meant to be a story about three particular women and how they shaped his life and career as a public speaker turned into a talk about the art of conversation in itself.

Not everyone is meant nor willing to get up on stage to give a lecture about their own personal experiences. It’s frightening. It makes us feel vulnerable to be in front of a crowd that has the capacity to judge and ridicule us if we are not flawless in our execution. We feel vulnerable under scrutiny, but why? The art of storytelling, an age-old craft is not meant to terrify us, but to entertain, to share experience in hopes to learn from one another.

The challenge lies in overcoming fear and this requires confidence. Telling a story is merely recounting an experience from your memory or using your imagination to paint a picture through words, but why should such an unassuming act be so scary? Intimidation wreaks havoc over our self-esteem and cripples our abilities to share. Have you ever been at a loss for words even in a small group of close friends, your mind goes blank and you feel a tense pressure to say something but nothing comes out? All eyes are fixed in your direction and you feel like you are in the hot seat.

Fear. Plain and simple acts as a barrier that limits our expression. If we can conquer fear there would be so much more to tell, to learn and to share. In life human connections make all the difference.

If you have something to say, say it. Don’t hold back. I find that letting go of this fear we so tightly embrace is hard. We reach for fear like a safety blanket, but it does the opposite of protecting us. Fear creates barriers. Release fear and face it straight on. Tell a story, share your wisdom, and get inspired.