It was Brené Brown who first shared something profound with us about vulnerability in her now-famous TED Talk. She named, so clearly, what happens when we allow ourselves to be seen—when we stand in our vulnerability and don’t shrink from it.
She taught us that vulnerability is not our greatest weakness, but it can be our greatest strength. And she couldn’t have been more right—especially for writers, speakers, and anyone who wants to create meaningful connections with their audience.
There is an arc to every story, every workshop, every presentation, and every book. And that arc almost always begins the same way: by engaging your audience emotionally.
You have to open the door to the heart right away. When you do, your audience leans in. They feel you. And once they feel you, they will stay with you—engaged.
I always begin my talks with a grounding meditation I call the Golden Pause. In ten deep breaths, I invite my audience into the present moment— to arrive, and to become receptive.
And then I speak from my heart. I’m not afraid that my voice may crack or my eyes may close. Or tears may come.
I take them back to a moment that changed my life forever—the phone call that came on an ordinary day and shattered everything I knew to be true for my daughters and me. The sudden loss of my beloved husband, taken far too soon by a pulmonary embolism as his plane descended into New York. My audience can feel my devastation because they know they would be devastated too.
Within minutes, there are tears.
And it’s not just because the story is sad.
It’s because it’s real. It’s vulnerable. It’s unimaginable.
When you are willing to go to that place—when you share from the depth of your experience, your sorrow, your humanity—you create a bridge. Whether on the page or on the stage, people meet you there. They engage with your story because they know it could happen to them one day.
They don’t connect to someone telling them how they should be.
They connect to the truth and what is real and raw about a story.
Show versus tell. That’s what people relate to. That’s what is emotionally engaging.
And the deeper meaning for them is this: you are still here. You have lived through something. You have learned something. And what you’ve learned may carve a path out for them as you show them the shorter distance to travel back to being whole–back to joy.
That’s where your message begins to take shape.
From there, your story unfolds—not just as something that happened, but as a series of stepping stones that lead others down a path and out of pain and suffering. A journey that leads somewhere meaningful and carries a promise.
And this is essential:
You must know what that promise is for your reader or your audience. When you are clear about that, then you will lead them where you want them to go.
What will they walk away with after reading your book or listening to your speech?
When you are clear about that, you can guide them with intention. You can take them by the hand and walk them through the experience—inviting them to feel, to reflect, to recognize themselves in your story.
They will cry with you.
They will laugh with you.
And ultimately, they will rise with you.
That has been my experience—on stages around the world and across the pages of the books I’ve been privileged to write.
And it all begins with one simple, courageous act:
Being willing to be seen. Being vulnerable enough to open hearts.
If this resonates with you—and if you’re ready to go deeper into your writing, your voice, and the stories that want to come through you—I want to invite you into our paid Substack community.
Inside, we’re not just talking about writing—we’re practicing it. Together.
You’ll receive:
Guided writing prompts to unlock your most meaningful stories
Behind-the-scenes insights on crafting emotionally engaging work
Interviews and conversations with writers and storytellers
And deeper teachings on how to turn your lived experience into something that truly connects
If you’ve been reading along and feeling that quiet call . . . this is your invitation to step in.
Because your story matters.
And someone out there is waiting to feel less alone because you chose to tell it.
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