Right before it started, everything got quiet.
I took in the room. Tried to settle my nerves. Reminded myself that I was exactly where I was supposed to be.
Though getting to the stage was a bit chaotic, everything flowed once the conversation started. The magnitude of the moment faded, leaving a real exchange among people who wanted to be part of it. It was everything I could’ve hoped for.
I approached it the same way I approach everything I care about: I paid attention. I listened closely. I adjusted in real time. I wasn’t thinking about how I sounded. I was focused on how it felt. I wanted the audience to stay with us, to feel included, and to leave with something they could carry with them.
