Tonight I’m stepping into something totally new: speaking on a public panel hosted by the Junior League of the Lehigh Valley, with nearly 100 people attending in person and even more watching online. It’s not only my first-ever public speaking event — it’s also the first time I’m sharing my story at this scale.
And yes… I’m feeling every emotion in the book.
How I Ended Up on This Panel (Imposter Syndrome Played a Role)
As a Junior League member, I knew the League was planning a leadership panel to support this year’s Thanksgiving Basket Fundraiser – a project that provides meals to local families in need. When the planning committee started discussing panelists, they mentioned wanting a woman in the mental health or personal development space to speak on the chosen topic: Imposter Syndrome.
And would you believe that I raised my hand while absolutely swimming in imposter syndrome about whether I belonged on that stage.
But saying yes, even with shaky confidence, felt like the exact kind of growth I help women pursue every day. And honestly, that’s what makes tonight so meaningful.
(I’ll link the Junior League website here so you can learn more about the Thanksgiving Basket project or donate.)
Why Sharing My Story Matters Tonight
As a Women’s Empowerment Coach, so much of my work centers on helping women rebuild confidence from the inside out. I support them through reinvention, self-worth healing, personal transitions, and learning to take up space in their own lives.
Tonight, I get to model that work for the very first time publicly.
I’ll be sharing pieces of the story that led me here: the burnout, the identity shifts, the hard questions, and the quiet moments of truth that I know so many women carry inside themselves:
- Who am I becoming?
- What actually matters to me now?
- How do I build a life that feels like it fits?
It’s vulnerable to put all of this out into the world… but also necessary. Stories connect us. They make us feel less alone. They give us permission to name what we need.
What This Event Represents
This panel is bigger than a conversation about imposter syndrome.
It’s about leadership, community, and what can happen when women gather to speak truthfully about their experiences.
What I love most about this imposter syndrome panel is that it highlights something women rarely get to talk about openly: the invisible pressure we carry to be everything to everyone. So many of us juggle motherhood, career, caregiving, friendships, and the mental load – all while pretending we have it handled. Imposter syndrome thrives in silence, and events like this break that pattern. When women witness each other telling the truth, the shame quiets down. Belonging gets louder. And we start to see ourselves reflected in each other’s stories in the best possible way. That’s why tonight matters, not just for me, but for every woman who has ever wondered if she was “enough.”
Being Witnessed at the Start of Something New
Whether you’re joining in person, tuning in on Zoom, or reading this afterward – thank you. Truly. Your presence is part of this moment.
There is something powerful about being witnessed at the beginning of a new chapter. And that’s exactly what tonight feels like: a starting point.
I’m stepping onto that stage with a full heart, steady breath, and a deeper trust in the work I’m meant to do.
And something tells me this is only the beginning.
xx, Kelly