For years, I thought I needed other people to see my value before I could fully believe in it myself. I experienced being judged, misunderstood, and affected by other people's expectations of who they thought I should be. Instead of need other people to see my value, I truly believed in myself. Example: other people did not believe that I will learn Swedish language. Not Swedish people, but Croatians. I don´t judge Croatians. But I´ve met good Swedish people they have me a positive motivation I felt. That´s why that country felt like a relief for me. After 2-3 years, I was able to communicate Swedish language- that was progress for me, no matter how I speak, no matter what other people say, no matter how do I sound in that foreign language- For me, that´s self confidence. There were periods when I had very little external evidence that I was “successful.” While living in Sweden, somewhere along the way, I started asking myself a different question: What if I choose to believe in myself before other people have a reason to applaud me? I started talking to myself differently. “I am good enough.” “I am capable.” “I love myself.” "I am confident" Not because everything around me had suddenly changed. But because I realized, that if I allowed other people's opinions to become the measure of my worth, they would be designing my life for me. My journey—from Croatia to Sweden, through uncertainty, difficult relationships, work, rebuilding my life, learning, investing in myself, entrepreneurship and eventually becoming an author—taught me that self-belief isn't about pretending everything is going to work. It's about continuing to take responsibility for your own life on own terms, even when the outcome isn't visible yet. And this is something I explore much more deeply in my real story. I wrote it from lived experience—not from a "perfect" life, but from the inner battles, decisions and lessons that shaped me. I'm curious: Have you ever had a period in your life when you had to believe in yourself before, anyone else could see what you were becoming?

I’ve been asked to be a guest speaker for Katinka‘s Meet and Greet event that will be on July 23rd at 6pm CET (check your local time). I have this in the calendar. So, if you’re interested, I suggest that you come, make wonderful connections and learn from the speakers! Another thing that has been happening behind the scenes is that @Chris Hanlon and I have been working on creating a workshop called, Turn Your Story into Authority. In this, we plan on focusing on the power you can have when you use your story as a way to further your business. He’ll focus on how to use your story when you get onto stages, while I’ll discuss more of the writing side of it. Sharing your stories through speaking and in a book are quite impactful, especially when you use them both! 📕 🗣️ The workshop will happen on August 6th at 6pm CET (check your local timezone). This workshop is also in the calendar and if you do plan on joining this, click the link in the calendar and book your spot!

The SKOOLx Final is now available to watch on replay and 😮‍💨 it’s was intense yet rewarding! All 8 of us did a great job! We stepped onto the virtual stage, each with a unique story, message, and perspective. Now I’d love for you to experience our talks and decide which one moved you the most. (I’m hoping that mine moves you the most! 😉) ▶️ Watch the replay here: https://youtu.be/xdsKiaPQf7c 🗳️ Vote for the speaker you connected with the most here: https://forms.gle/kDLtMA1W7HoryhLJ6 ⏰ Voting closes on SUNDAY at 23:59 CET. My legs felt like wet noodles for an hour or two after doing my speech! 🎤 😅 But I’m so thankful for sharing my message and my dream is to get on a stage and perform in front of a live audience!! Exciting!! Thank you to all the other finalists and for all the support! Also, thank you @Ben Sherry for inviting me to this! @Justin Yip loved your talk! Éva Raposa her talk was moving and touched my heart! @Doa Kaptan you did remarkable! @Ayu Masruroh your talk was much needed and I’m happy that you had the courage to share it! Each person delivered a piece of themselves in the talk! All of them were amazing! 🤩

The Day My Shoes Melted: A Powerful Lesson About Persistence and Finishing What Matters This is my official entry for SKOOLx, and it's now live for voting. My talk is about taking that next step to get to your goal. I'll be honest, putting this together pushed me. I wrote this over so many times and focused on it for days. Then, I practiced it for hours and hours. But I'm proud of myself for finally allowing it to be finished. Sure, it needs work. But isn’t that why they’re having this competition, to help us make it better? If you feel that this resonates with you, I'd really appreciate your vote. Every vote counts and my dream is to make it to the finals! So, I'd love to have your support behind me with your melted shoes! 😉 (No shoes were harmed in the making of this talk) Vote here: https://forms.gle/bbqBf65BFVQaqvmP7 Voting ends on Monday, June 22nd! Check out the other competitors at The Public Speaking Community! Many great speeches to choose from! Thanks for your support! What did you think of my talk? Share in the comments! I’d love to hear your thoughts! @Shirley-Louise Daniels @Abby Davin @Akua Powell @Aisha P @Barbara Walsh @Bettina Lovas @Andrew Belock @Linda Brand @Andréanne Brault @Larisa Kocsis @Amber Griffiths @Karin Olson @Lawrencia Abugre @Linda Thomas @Carol Jenkin @Carly Wiggins @Caly Rohar @Danni Armstrong @Debi Lynn @Elizabeth O'Carroll @Elizabeth Veronique Hoka @Eliza Marin @Eileen MacDonell @Eirini Kapsidou @Elias McQuade @Frances Scully @Diana Frank @Katrin Differt @Danni Armstrong @Kd Dennis @Kevin de Haan @Faizan Ahmad @Faith Adebayo @Faith Romen @Hanni Meier @Mariam Kipiani. MD @Maria Leeper @Gwynne Conlyn @Gouree Gupta @Gaby Sanin @Hanalei C @Harris William @Hafsah Ahamed @Ian Darley @Iam Christian @Irina A. @Dorela iEPAN @Jasmine Collins @JeanAlbert Arnold @Jaime Glasser @Karen Sarmento @Karen Strauss @Kady Adamson @Meriliis Kivimägi @Kris Rather @Kristy Kelley @Ladavia Savoie @Lisa Black @Lisa Steenberg @Me ch Immelman @Aura Mengel @Mercy Helen @Nathaniel Parant @Nika Nika @Natalie Horseman @Naseef Hale @Nikki Hillhouse @Noelle Hyzy @Burcu Onaranel Erten @Chevy Patrick Oneil @Amanda Owens @Phillip Mackey @Pravin Choudhary @pineappleCITI Works @Rachael Bermingham @Rachel Harmsworth @Rachel Yu @Rafaela Moreno @Salma Samaha @Scott Aksamit @Sean Daly @Shawn Helgerson @Sharon Prahl @Shemmiah Lewis @Talya Ring @Tamara Fogle @Tara Hayes @Johannes Tamegger @Kathryn Traff @Uday Sarma @Vasi Smith @Birger Verpeten @Anna V. @Cinthia Varkevisser @Wendy Wiseman @Barbara Walsh @Yulia Drummond @Yan Lin @Yo Me @Kaushik Yadav @Candy Zulkosky@Ryan Clark @Chanie Twersky @Steve Belanger @Steven Cruz @Chris Hanlon @Christina Morales @Joseph Isosaki

It’s a mixture of adrenaline rush drama and mystery. My heart is in contemporary romance. But this story hit me a little different. Don’t let the tagline fool you! Tagline: Beta Tested. Human Approved. Entirely Stolen. Title: SANITY Author: BY KAIDY WRIGHT Chapter One: The Architecture of a Void (1235) Whoa! Time to get up. The command came from a brain that didn’t recognize the body it was piloting. I rolled out of the heavy, silk-sheeted bed. My feet hitting hardwood that felt unnervingly... smooth. As I stood, a wave of vertigo washed over me. I scanned the room, my eyes darting from the high, crown-molded ceilings to the austere, ivory walls. "I’m awake, right?" I whispered. The sound of my own voice felt thin, like a radio signal losing its frequency. I pulled a plush robe over my shoulders—it was soft, expensive, and entirely... unfamiliar. Groggly... I moved and stumbled toward what I assumed was the en-suite. My mind was a sludgefest of half-formed thoughts. The kind of cognitive fog that usually clears after a splash of cold water. I reached for the handle and yanked it open. What? Only to find myself staring at a wall of empty hangers and built-in shelving. "Wait a minute," I muttered, the fog beginning to chill into a cold realization. "What?" I pinched the underside of my forearm. Hard. "Ouch! Okay... I’m awake." I let out a dry, nervous chuckle. "Foolish me. Get it together, girl. Just... a little morning disorientation. Talk it out." I turned to the second door and pulled. This one led to a long, vaulted hallway that seemed to stretch on with mathematical precision. I looked left, then right. The silence wasn't just... the absence of noise; it felt heavy, like the house was holding its breath. "Where am I?" I asked the empty air. "Why does this feel... Strange and wrong?" I took a few tentative steps onto the landing. My hand went to my forehead, checking for the heat of a fever, but my skin was cool. If anything, the cold was starting to seep into my marrow.