When the Spotlight Feels Heavy: What Speaking on a Big Stage Taught Me About Confidence

2025-05-14

What happens when the spotlight doesn’t feel exciting… but heavy? If you’ve ever stood on a stage, hit “record” on your phone, or even just spoken up in a meeting and thought, “What if I mess this up?” — this episode is for you. In today’s solo episode, I’m taking you behind the scenes of a recent high-stakes presentation where I spoke to a room full of my peers—fellow dietitians—about something no one else was really talking about: job dissatisfaction in our profession. And yes... I was nervous. After decades in the media, that might sound surprising. But here’s what I’ve learned: c...

What happens when the spotlight doesn’t feel exciting… but heavy?

If you’ve ever stood on a stage, hit “record” on your phone, or even just spoken up in a meeting and thought, “What if I mess this up?” — this episode is for you.

In today’s solo episode, I’m taking you behind the scenes of a recent high-stakes presentation where I spoke to a room full of my peers—fellow dietitians—about something no one else was really talking about: job dissatisfaction in our profession.

And yes... I was nervous.

After decades in the media, that might sound surprising. But here’s what I’ve learned: confidence isn’t something you find once—it’s something you build over and over again.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

A story about the very first time I stood on stage in front of 1,500 people
Why speaking to peers hits harder (and feels more personal)
How to manage nerves when the pressure’s on
The myth of “flawless” speakers — and what audiences actually remember
My 3-part “Confidence Triangle” that helps speakers show up prepared and powerful
Why visibility is about more than being seen—it’s about making an impact

And remember: if the spotlight feels a little heavy? That’s okay. It just means your voice carries weight!
Connect with Bonnie:
- Bonnie’s proven media training course: How To Work With Media and Make The Media Work for You: https://btdmedia.teachable.com/p/media-masterclass
- Bonnie’s website: https://betterthandieting.com
- BTD Media Makers News Digest: https://bit.ly/BTDMediaMakers
- Better Than Dieting Newsletter: https://bit.ly/BTDsubscribe
- Follow Bonnie on Social Media:
  Instagram:@bonnietaubdix and
  @BTDmedia
  X (Twitter): @eatsmartbd
  Facebook: @BonnieTaubDix.RDN
- Threads: https://www.threads.net/@bonnietaubdix
- Bonnie’s Book: Read It Before You Eat It - Taking You from Label to Table
- Get in touch: mediasavvybtd@gmail.com
- Download a free chapter of Bonnie’s latest book