What if confidence isn't something you need to wait for before you speak? What if confidence is something you build... one courageous action at a time? In this episode of Embody Your Empress, Sarah King is joined by communication and vocal coach Helen von Dadelszen, founder of Present Potential and author of Courageous Action: Your Playbook for Communicating Confidently, One Small Step at a Time. Together, Sarah and Helen dive into the real reasons so many intelligent, passionate and capable women hold themselves back from speaking up, sharing their ideas, leading meetings, presenting with confidence or stepping into greater visibility. You might have the idea. You might know your message. You might feel your purpose bubbling away inside you... But then comes the moment you have to actually say it out loud. And suddenly, your heart races, your cheeks flush, your hands shake, your mind goes blank and the inner voice starts asking... Who am I to say this? What if people judge me? What if I forget what I want to say? What if I don't sound confident enough? Helen shares why these reactions are so common, how our nervous system responds when we feel exposed or vulnerable, and why we don't need to wait until we feel completely confident before taking action. Because confidence doesn't come first. Action does. In this conversation, Sarah and Helen explore communication, public speaking, voice, body language, mindset, nervous system regulation and the power of taking small, courageous steps. Whether you're leading a team, running a meeting, starting a business, speaking on a stage, recording a podcast, sharing your ideas online or simply learning to use your voice more confidently... this episode will inspire you to stop shrinking and start expressing yourself. In this episode, we explore: Why intelligent and capable people still struggle with public speaking and being seen The nervous system response behind stage fright, blushing, shaking and going blank Why fear of judgement stops so many people from sharing their ideas How to build confidence through small, courageous actions Why you don't need to be a "natural born leader" to become an effective communicator The communication skills that can help you become a stronger leader Why speaking too quickly can affect your clarity and confidence How slowing down can improve your voice and communication The power of pauses and giving yourself time to think How body language and facial expressions impact the energy of your message Why recording yourself can help you become a more confident speaker How to prepare for presentations, meetings and public speaking without overthinking every detail What to do when technology fails, plans change or things don't go exactly as expected Why knowing what you want your audience to think, feel or do can transform your communication The importance of practice, repetition and getting more stage time How Toastmasters and speaking groups can help build confidence Why your accent is part of your story and doesn't need to be something you apologise for The connection between self-talk, self-respect and confidence How changing your physical posture can shift how you feel The power of the Empress, Wonder Woman and the power pose Why you should stop waiting for permission and take the first step One of the most powerful reminders from this conversation is that you don't have to wait until you feel confident to begin. You don't need to know exactly how everything will unfold. You don't need to have every word perfectly planned. You don't need to wait for someone else to tell you that you're ready. You simply need to take the next courageous action. Put your hand up. Ask the question. Share the idea. Speak in the meeting. Record the video. Apply for the leadership role. Stand up and tell your story. Every action gives you evidence that you can do it. Over time, that evidence becomes competence. And competence becomes confidence. This episode is an invitation to stop allowing fear, perfectionism, overthinking or the opinions of others to keep your voice trapped inside you. Your ideas deserve to be heard. Your perspective matters. And the world doesn't need you to sound like everyone else. It needs you to sound like you. About Helen von Dadelszen Helen von Dadelszen is a communication and vocal coach, presentation trainer and founder of Present Potential. She helps smart, thoughtful professionals get their brilliant ideas out of their heads and into the world with greater clarity, confidence and impact. Helen works with individuals, teams and organisations across technical, scientific, academic and humanitarian fields, supporting them to communicate complex ideas in ways that feel authentic, clear, compelling and useful to their audience. Her work combines practical communication training, vocal coaching, public speaking, presentation skills and improvisational theatre principles to help people become more present, responsive and confident when communicating under pressure. Helen is also the author of Courageous Action: Your Playbook for Communicating Confidently, One Small Step at a Time, a practical guide designed to help people develop communication confidence through achievable, real-world action. Originally from New Zealand and now based in Switzerland, Helen brings an international perspective to her work, alongside her background in Human Resources, recruitment, event management, theatre and performance. Helen's message is simple... Don't wait to feel confident. Take action... and let confidence grow from there. Connect with Helen LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/helen-von-dadelszen Instagram @present_potential https://www.instagram.com/present_potential YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCB_2NMosqJQBBiv5ux3mYHg Helen's Book... Courageous Action https://courageousaction.ch/ About Your Host, Sarah King Sarah King is the founder of Empress Nation, author of Many Hearts and host of the Embody Your Empress Podcast. Through powerful conversations, personal stories and inspiring guests, Sarah explores healing, self-discovery, confidence, intuition, love, personal growth and the journey of stepping into the fullest expression of who you are. Embody Your Empress is for the woman who knows there is more within her. More voice. More confidence. More self-trust. More courage. More freedom. More of the woman she knows she is becoming. This is your reminder that you don't need to become someone else to create the life you desire. You get to heal. You get to grow. You get to change. And you get to take up space while doing it. Connect with Sarah King and Empress Nation Website www.empressnation.au Instagram https://www.instagram.com/empress_nation_/ TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@embody.your.empress Facebook https://www.facebook.com/EmpressNationSarahKing LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/empressnation/ Linktree https://linktr.ee/Empress_Nation_ If this episode inspired you, make sure you follow or subscribe to Embody Your Empress so you never miss a conversation. And if you know someone who is holding back, doubting themselves or waiting until they feel "ready" before sharing their voice... Send them this episode. Sometimes one courageous action is all it takes to begin changing your entire life. Confidence isn't something you wait for. It's something you build. Your voice matters. Your message matters. Now take the next step and let the world hear it.
