Welcome to my personally curated hub focused on developing self-confidence in your career.
Scroll
Media Features & Press
explore the blog
The blog is a place where we share tools, resources, tips, and links to podcasts to help you overcome your fears and develop self-confidence. We will share the latest in research and strategies that we use with our clients. You can also follow us on Instagram @dr.amandatobe for more content and to follow along on our journey.
We would love to hear your feedback - whether you have a strategy you’d like to share, an awesome article you came across or a topic you’d like us to cover, please e-mail us here.
BROWSE POSTS BY TOPIC
Public Speaking | Self Confidence | Entrepreneurial Goal Setting | Career Support
PUBLIC SPEAKING
Featured
Why choose a public speaking group over individual sessions?
Group work is inherently social, so the group setting is a bonus for those with a fear of speaking in the workplace. Not only is group therapy more affordable, group therapy can be just as effective, if not more so, than one on one. The fear of public speaking is rooted in concerns over other people’s perceptions of us.
“What’s wrong with me?!” How ‘medicalizing’ public speaking anxiety fuels your fear
Using terms like public speaking anxiety to describe the experience can create a negative relationship with speaking itself. When we talk about the ‘symptoms’ associated with our fear (like shaky hands or a racing heart) we end up associating the fear with something truly dangerous.
Looking for an Effective App to Develop your Public Speaking Skills? Try Poised
When we avoid situations with public speaking, we end up feeling even more tense about the experience. Over time, our worries are reinforced by the negative cycle of fearful thinking and avoidance - which only leads to more fear. Even the most seasoned public speakers feel some level of fear, but too much of it can hold us back from saying yes to an opportunity or experience we might enjoy.
"How do I keep my voice from shaking?” Why your voice shakes when speaking in public, and what you can do about it
People with public speaking anxiety often feel like the fear is something they have to conceal. They often ask if there are and tricks to keep your voice from shaking. Fortunately, research has given us plenty of solutions and tools to stop a shaky voice - as well as the ways to understand why it happens in the first place.
Speaking, stigma, and shame: Public speaking anxiety is something organizations shouldn't ignore
One of the questions I ask all new clients struggling with public speaking anxiety is, “do you feel like you need to conceal this problem?” The answer is almost always yes. People usually talk about the judgment they anticipate having to face—the kind that can result in pity, discomfort, negative evaluations and even demotions.
Ride the wave: 3 tools to help you rethink, redirect, and reframe your public speaking fear
Many people have butterflies when getting up in front of a crowd. However, people with public speaking anxiety feel these jitters on another level. A racing heart, shaking palms, sweating, dry mouth, lightheadedness, or nausea can all be byproducts of the panic and dread associated with this kind of fear.
What am I really afraid of? How understanding your fear of public speaking can help you overcome it
Bridging the gap between where you are now and where you’d like to be is easier when you can unpack, dissect, and be curious about why you’re feeling scared
What is public speaking self-confidence (and why it’s different than you think!)
Public speaking doesn’t always involve a crowd. Job interviews, meetings, and other ‘high stakes’ scenarios can also result in public speaking anxiety or nerves that prevent you from doing your best. When this anxiety arises, the focus often shifts to the way you appear to others instead of the work you’re doing yourself: but true self confidence is knowing you’re going to be okay, even if something goes wrong.
Featured
SELF CONFIDENCE
Featured
LinkedIn-shy? Why the “imposter phenomenon” might be behind your reluctance to share
Professional networking platforms like LinkedIn can provoke feelings of negative comparison or come with pressure to create the ‘perfect’ page. This pressure may be why imposter syndrome tends to play out when it comes time to join, post, or update your page.
“I’m so bad at this!” What social anxiety research can teach us about our negative self-talk
When our body is busy fending off panic and adrenaline, our thinking is less clear. It’s harder to concentrate, and we’re less likely to perform at our best. Research on social anxiety suggests that this is exactly what ends up happening: when we’re anxious, we perform poorly compared to our non-anxious peers.
What am I really afraid of? How understanding your fear of public speaking can help you overcome it
Bridging the gap between where you are now and where you’d like to be is easier when you can unpack, dissect, and be curious about why you’re feeling scared
What is public speaking self-confidence (and why it’s different than you think!)
Public speaking doesn’t always involve a crowd. Job interviews, meetings, and other ‘high stakes’ scenarios can also result in public speaking anxiety or nerves that prevent you from doing your best. When this anxiety arises, the focus often shifts to the way you appear to others instead of the work you’re doing yourself: but true self confidence is knowing you’re going to be okay, even if something goes wrong.
My Top 10 Favourite Books to Build your Self-Confidence at Work and in Life
The single most beneficial thing you can do to show up as your best self in this lifetime is to develop self-confidence. I’ve carefully curated my top 10 favourite books to help you discover the best, most confident version of you. happy reading!
How to Improve Your Confidence in Public Speaking | Podcast Episode
Bayley Levy (@itsbayleysworld) invited me to speak on her podcast to discuss the origins of public speaking, why it’s so hard, and what we can do to better manage our fears.
5 Steps to Simplify Your Life | Podcast Episode
One of the most powerful things we can do for ourselves in the pursuit of living an intentional life is getting clear on how we want to feel. You’ve probably noticed many people selecting words of the year right now, which I’m all for, but they don’t help us with the ‘how’ or the discovery of how we feel when we feel at our best. In this exercise, you get to review a list of over 100 feelings to create your top 5 words, deep-seated, transformative feelings so you can simplify your life.
How To Understand And Manage Your Emotions | Podcast Episode
When you’re feeling overwhelmed or the effects of performance anxiety nothing feels more soothing than having a simple and supportive emotional toolkit of mindfulness practices to choose from.
Understanding and Overcoming Impostor Syndrome With Dr. Tracy Dalgleish | Podcast Episode
Are your self-doubts getting in your way? In this podcast episode, I speak to Dr. Tracy Dagleish, clinical psychologist and host of the podcast, about what impostor syndrome is and how it interferes with our ability to reach our potential.
Featured
ENTREPRENEURIAL GOAL SETTING
Featured
Freedom in Entrepreneurship: Protecting the Plate in Front of You
Discover how to design a sustainable business that aligns with your values. Learn how our career counselling team supports entrepreneurs with confidence and clarity.
Considerations for Yearly Goal Setting | Article Feature
It’s not that goal-setting needs to go out the window, rather we might want to alter our approach. It requires being agile, perhaps modifying our definitions of achievement and focusing on what I call “activity goals”.
How to Design Your Life and Career | Podcast Episode
The personal compass is a soul map, personal blueprint and self-made guide to help you gain clarity on how you want to feel in your life. This kind of soul work is needed to do the goal work in our lives.
How To Understand And Manage Your Emotions | Podcast Episode
When you’re feeling overwhelmed or the effects of performance anxiety nothing feels more soothing than having a simple and supportive emotional toolkit of mindfulness practices to choose from.
A Year in Review: Lessons on Surrendering & Being Seen
The greatest life lesson I learned this year is that while hard work will get you there, I don’t need to overdo it. Destination points are arbitrary and the ability to surrender is just as important as persistence.
Understanding and Overcoming Impostor Syndrome With Dr. Tracy Dalgleish | Podcast Episode
Are your self-doubts getting in your way? In this podcast episode, I speak to Dr. Tracy Dagleish, clinical psychologist and host of the podcast, about what impostor syndrome is and how it interferes with our ability to reach our potential.
Rewriting Your Beliefs to Overcome Your Fears
Here’s the important thing about public-speaking anxiety and many forms of anxiety: the more we panic and resist fear, the more power it has over us.
My Vision for the Blog
Some people like 1:1 sessions, others prefer group workshops and then there are those who are looking for DIY strategies. Having a blog and presence on social media is one way I hope to start a conversation and resource library for people who are looking to reduce fears they have related to public-speaking.
Featured
CAREER SUPPORT
Featured
5 of the best LinkedIn profile tips from popular career podcasts – and why you should update yours
Could Linkedin make networking easier for introverts? Some academic research suggests that while extroverted professionals naturally do well at traditional networking, tools like linkedin can level the playing field – even if all you do is scroll. Here we’ve curated some of the best tips for polishing your professional brand.
5 Steps to Simplify Your Life | Podcast Episode
One of the most powerful things we can do for ourselves in the pursuit of living an intentional life is getting clear on how we want to feel. You’ve probably noticed many people selecting words of the year right now, which I’m all for, but they don’t help us with the ‘how’ or the discovery of how we feel when we feel at our best. In this exercise, you get to review a list of over 100 feelings to create your top 5 words, deep-seated, transformative feelings so you can simplify your life.
Understanding and Overcoming Impostor Syndrome With Dr. Tracy Dalgleish | Podcast Episode
Are your self-doubts getting in your way? In this podcast episode, I speak to Dr. Tracy Dagleish, clinical psychologist and host of the podcast, about what impostor syndrome is and how it interferes with our ability to reach our potential.
Overcoming Job Interview Anxiety | Podcast Episode
Does the thought of speaking about yourself make your heart race and palms sweat? In this podcast episode, I speak to Emilie Aries, founder of BossedUp about how to develop public-speaking self-confidence. We talk about the power of visualization and why it’s so hard, the tendency to become self-focused when we are nervous, breathing techniques, and so much more.
The Positive Effects of Gratitude on Our Mental Health and Well-Being
Enduring stress (you know...the kind that the whole global population is living right now with COVID-19) makes us want to act fast when what we actually need is to act slow - to stop, to think, and to broaden our perspective. How do you do this when you’re maxed out? Here’s an idea. Make the first and last action item of your day saying thank you.
Actionable Steps to Prepare You for Your Next Job Interview
Dozens of studies, including my own, have shown that anxious candidates fare worse in the job interview process. There are many reasons why job candidates tend to receive lower performance scores. But for now we will focus on one factor that seems to improve your rating of interview performance when you’re nervous: PREPARATION.
My Vision for the Blog
Some people like 1:1 sessions, others prefer group workshops and then there are those who are looking for DIY strategies. Having a blog and presence on social media is one way I hope to start a conversation and resource library for people who are looking to reduce fears they have related to public-speaking.
Featured
subscribe
Fear less, not fearless: Why accepting our fear of public speaking is the pathway to personal success
When we meet for the first time, most of my clients say their goal is to totally extinguish their fear of public speaking. However, this not only sets you up for black and white thinking—’either I get rid of my public speaking fear, or I don’t!’—it also makes the goal less attainable and reinforces the idea of the fear being a ‘bad’ thing.