Welcome to my personally curated hub focused on developing self-confidence in your career.
Scroll
My blog is a place where I share tools, resources, tips and links to podcasts to help you overcome your fears and develop self-confidence. I will share the latest in research and strategies that I use with my clients. You can also follow me on Instagram @dr.amandatobe for more content and to follow along on my journey.
I’d 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 me to cover, please e-mail me here.
No results found
Blog
Considering Strawberry.me? What High-Performing Professionals Often Need Beyond Career Advice
No results found
BROWSE POSTS BY TOPIC
Public Speaking | Self Confidence | Entrepreneurial Goal Setting | Career Support
PUBLIC SPEAKING
Featured
Career Coaching vs. Career Counselling: What’s the Difference, and Which One Do You Need?
If you’ve been searching for career coaching, you’re probably thinking about change.
Maybe you're asking yourself:
“Am I even on the right path?”
“Why doesn’t this job feel like a good fit anymore?”
“Shouldn’t I be further ahead by now?”
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.
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.
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
Featured
SELF CONFIDENCE
Featured
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.
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.
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.
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.
Featured
ENTREPRENEURIAL GOAL SETTING
Featured
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.
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”.
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.
Featured
CAREER SUPPORT
Featured
Career Coaching vs. Career Counselling: What’s the Difference, and Which One Do You Need?
If you’ve been searching for career coaching, you’re probably thinking about change.
Maybe you're asking yourself:
“Am I even on the right path?”
“Why doesn’t this job feel like a good fit anymore?”
“Shouldn’t I be further ahead by now?”
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.
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.
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.
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.
Featured