Why do people come to Gutsy? Not because they want to be perfect or fearless – but because they’re tired of shrinking, hiding, holding back or staying quiet when they want to speak. This list gathers very real reasons people tell me, from public speaking panic to creative visibility wobbles. If you’ve ever thought “maybe it’s just me” – it’s not. And you don’t need to change who you are to change how you feel.

Most groups run on unspoken rules, and unspoken rules favour whoever already knows them. These are the guidelines I use in Gutsy circles, courses and groups: how we take turns, how we look after each other and ourselves, and what to do if something isn’t right.

Lucy had lived with social and general anxiety all her life and dreaded speaking off the cuff at work. Nervous about joining a Gutsy course, she feared it might be like past trainings that left her feeling worse. Instead, she discovered play, kindness and unexpected fun that shifted her relationship with confidence. Here’s her story.

“You’re too shy.” I believed it for years. This is the story of how I got from there to Gutsy, and why being shy and gutsy can both be true.