Anna A Kaufman, Chief Badass
I was the shy kid that passed for mute. Not shy, though – what plagued me was debilitating fear and crushing worry. What if I said something wrong? What if someone laughed at me? What if I wasn’t accepted? If I kept my mouth shut, I limited judgment against me.
‘Shy’ described me in high school and college. I didn’t speak up in class, I didn’t share my opinion, I didn’t raise my voice when I disagreed. I couldn’t even defend myself against bullies. I was powerless and afraid without a voice. My ‘shy’ became a burden, a barrier, a handicap, a limitation I placed on myself.
Once I began my career, I unearthed two identities:
- introverted, quiet, head-down, buttoned-up, proper employee at work
- introverted, loud, confident, head-up, dressed-down woman in real life
In the confines of a corporate office, my quiet side held me back from getting promotions. Even more upsetting, I felt imprisoned by how I was “supposed” to be – a young professional, a woman who played by the rules, a put-together office worker. That alter ego looked way more fun. The truth I had to admit was: I could never fully express myself in the corporate world the way I could elsewhere. Among close friends, I swore, I made faces, I danced on tables – office life couldn’t contain me.
I dared to speak up, to step out, and to sass it up.
For years, I couldn’t give voice to who I was – learning to Speak Like a Badass changed that. When I discovered speaking, I found my voice and the feeling of belonging in my Badass self.
I’ve always been a Badass, even if it took me a while to realize and embrace it.
I see the Badass in you – I want to help you unleash it for the world to see.
Speak Like a Badass 