When You Feel the Call to Speak (But Don’t Know Where to Start)
By Tabby Biddle
Have you ever felt that quiet nudge — that inner voice that says, It’s time to speak?
Maybe it’s come when you were watching another woman on stage and thought, I could share something like that. Or when you were in conversation with a friend and she said, You should be speaking about this.
Or maybe it’s been building inside you for years — the sense that your experiences, your insights, and your truth could help others if only you found the words and the courage to share them.
If that sounds familiar, you’re not alone.
Most of the women I work with tell me that they didn’t decide to become speakers — they felt called. Something inside them said, It’s time to use your voice in a bigger way.
I know that feeling well.
My Own “Call to Speak” Moment
When I first began feeling that inner nudge, I didn’t know what to do with it. I wasn’t a “speaker.” While I had a blog, I didn’t have a book or a particularly big following at the time. I just had a deep knowing that I wanted to help more women and girls use their voices — and I knew speaking was a great way to do that.
Still, fear showed up. Who am I to be a speaker? What if I’m terrible at it? What if I’m not ready?
But the power of the call to speak was stronger than my fear, so I went for it — even though I didn’t exactly feel “ready.”
That’s where my public speaking journey began 15 years ago.
Here’s what I’ve learned through my experience of becoming a speaker and helping hundreds of other women over the last decade do the same: the call to speak is sacred.
When you step on stage, it’s not about being a perfect, polished speaker. It’s about being in service. It’s about showing up — as you are — with something true and meaningful to share that will benefit your audience.
When you honor that call to service, you begin a new chapter of your leadership.
“When a woman chooses to use her voice to speak, she does more than share an idea — she helps re-balance the collective story about leadership.”
The First Step Is Clarity
One of the biggest questions I hear from women is, “What would I even talk about?”
Your message is usually hiding in plain sight — woven through the stories, experiences, and truths that have shaped who you are.
Try this simple reflection exercise to begin uncovering it:
What have you lived, learned, or overcome that others could benefit from hearing about?
What conversations light you up — the ones you could talk about for hours?
What change do you most want to see in the world, and how might your voice be part of creating it?
When you take a few quiet moments to answer these questions (I suggest journaling your responses), you begin to clarify the heart of your message — the seed of your Signature Talk.
Your Voice Matters — More Than You Know
I’ve witnessed it time and again: when women answer the call to speak, everything changes for them.
They grow more confident, more visible, and more influential. They open doors to opportunities they never imagined — not just speaking engagements, but new collaborations, leadership invitations, media opportunties, and book deals.
It all starts with that one brave step of saying yes to your voice.
When you do that, you’re not just changing your own life — you’re changing what’s possible for every woman who hears you.
If you’ve been feeling that nudge that says it’s time to speak— consider this your invitation to begin:
Join Me for a Free Live Masterclass
Jumpstart Your Public Speaking Career
A 90-minute experience for women ready to speak, lead & get paid
📅 Tuesday, November 18th
💻 Live on Zoom
Together, we’ll map the first essential steps to finding your message, sharing your story, and stepping into your power as a speaker in 2026.
You don’t need to have it all figured out. You just need to start.
Tabby Biddle is a women’s thought leadership coach, public speaking mentor, and bestselling author of Find Your Voice: A Woman’s Call to Action. She helps women leaders, founders, and changemakers step into visibility as powerful speakers and thought leaders — using their voice to create systemic and cultural change. Connect with Tabby at tabbybiddle.com or on LinkedIn.