A year ago, my TEDx talk was published…
and I remember exactly how unsure, even hesitant, I felt.
There’s something uniquely exposing about putting your voice—and your image—out into the world.
It’s rather terrifying, honestly.
You get no chance to clarify or to adjust.
There is no second take!
You are just… out there.
And in many ways, that’s what speaking has become for all of us.
A post.
A video.
An interview.
A presentation that gets recorded and shared.
We’re constantly being seen—and interpreted by others.
Often, without the chance to clarify or reshape that impression.
As speakers, we’re used to adapting in real time (or we should be!).
We read the room.
We shift our energy based on what we see.
We listen. We adjust.
We meet people where they are.
But recorded speaking asks something else entirely.
You don’t get feedback in the moment.
You don’t get to adjust as you go.
You just have to trust that what you said… lands.
And that requires letting go.
You have to trust your message enough to let it stand on its own.
Do I feel my TEDx performance is perfect? NO! There are so many things I’d change if I could. But I can’t. I DO trust my message in it though, 100%.
What has come from my TEDx talk is not fame.
But something much more useful.
Visibility—yes.
New clients—absolutely.
But more than that, it’s become a kind of living introduction.
People arrive already having a sense of me.
My style. My way of thinking. A glimpse of how I work.
And when it resonates, they reach out.
New!
Spring Cleaning
for Your Speaking
Spring makes us think about blooming—rebirth, new energy, growth.
But in speaking, real growth often comes from removing something.
Cutting content on slides.
Cutting unnecessary movement—swaying, head bobs, those little habits we don’t notice.
Cutting fillers (the ums, the uhs… all of it).
I challenge you… What can you let go of?
Maybe it’s:
- explaining too much
- filling every silence
- cramming slides with every single bit of information you know on the topic
- repeating concepts over and over to make sure the audience understands
And one more challenge:
Take a moment to look back at how you were speaking a year ago.
Not to judge it. Just to notice it.
Because chances are…
you’re not the same speaker you were then.
The goal isn’t to sound perfect.
It’s to feel at home in your voice—so when you speak, people hear you, not the effort behind it.
Did you miss my last Speak Easy Secret?
Eliminating little filler words and sounds.
Last month’s Speak Easy Tip explored a small habit that quietly shapes how we are heard: those little filler words like “um,” “uh,” or “you know.” They often slip in unnoticed, yet they can pull attention away from the message we want to share.
If you missed it—or haven’t tried the exercise yet—it’s a simple but powerful shift that can instantly change the way your voice lands. You might be surprised by how much clearer and more confident your speaking becomes with just a small adjustment.
Watch the video below to revisit the technique and try it for yourself.
With gratitude,
Elia
Communicate the best of yourself.
PS – If this info was helpful, please pass it on to someone else who could find it beneficial!
