What No One Tells You About Sharing Your Story for the First Time
The magic that happens when you let yourself be seen
The first time I did a reading from my book, I wanted to disappear.
I was at a summer women’s retreat in Saskatchewan.
The province is called The Land of The Living Skies for a reason. I had never seen a sky so dynamic, so kaleidoscopic. Camping under the stars on my first night, the moon was so low and full it made my heart race.
The last day of the retreat featured an open mic at dusk where attendees could get up in front of the group and perform or do a reading.
I chose to read from the opening of my memoir, Never Make A Sound. It was my first time reading it aloud in front of people.
I have no particular fear of public speaking. However, a few sentences in I was shocked by a surge of emotion jamming in my throat. It was a struggle to get the words out. I never anticipated getting so swept up by the story as a reader.
Stunned, I looked up at the women seated on the prairie grass before me and apologized. “I wasn’t expecting this to happen,” I said.
In the pin-drop silence I could almost hear the pink clouds shifting in the sky. I wanted that giant moon to gobble me up like I feared it would on that first night.
Luckily, one of the retreat leaders was standing next to me and she put her arm around me and held me up. I remember she was named after the Norse goddess of love, beauty, and fertility.
As I battled through the rest of the passage, she kept whispering in my ear, “You got this.”
I got through it, slowly and painstakingly, but I was embarrassed as I made my way back to my place on the grass.
Then I looked around and saw the tears in the eyes of the women around me. Seeing my discomfort, one of them leaned over and took my hand and said, “We were holding space for you.”
Throughout the rest of the retreat women came up to me telling me how moved they were by my reading and asking if they could buy a signed copy of my book.
Your vulnerability is a bridge
As memoir writers we often fear how we are being judged in our most vulnerable moments. But the truth is you can never anticipate the unexpected connection that comes from being witnessed.
If you’ve ever hesitated to share your story, know this: emotion is a bridge. The moments that shake you are often the ones that resonate most deeply with others.
Your voice is powerful, even when it shakes. The first time you share your story, it may feel overwhelming. But every time you tell it, you reclaim it—and you offer someone else the courage to do the same.
And the good news is that it gets easier with practice. The next time I read from the book was on stage in front of a live audience in the East Village in New York. This time I made it through without crying.
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If you’ve been holding back from telling your story, you don’t have to do it alone. I help writers move through the fear and shape their truth into something powerful. If you're looking for support, let’s talk. Book a free discovery call with me here.