My First Keynote – Mic Shakes & Brain Fog

On the 4th of April, something wild happened, I gave my very first keynote speech. Not a Q&A. Not a cozy fireside chat. An actual, honest-to-goodness keynote. The stage? The Women in Leadership Conference at Richard Lander School in Taunton. The audience? A sea of bright-eyed, brilliant teenage girls. The mood? Somewhere between heart-racing terror and overwhelming awe.

It all started a few months earlier when a message popped into my website inbox. “Would you be willing to give a keynote speech?” Cue my inner monologue: Absolutely! Wait… WHAT?! I was flattered, and immediately terrified. I’ve done talks before, sure. But they’ve always come with a safety net: someone beside me, asking the questions, holding the cue cards, metaphorically holding my hand. This time? It was just me, a microphone, and a clicker. My first time with visuals, and let me tell you, I got very friendly with PowerPoint. Night after night, I rehearsed. Slides? Clicked. Cards? Prepared. Nerves? Shot. I was a ball of brain fog and “what-if-I-freeze” spirals. Thankfully, Cat came with me, because the idea of driving to Taunton and back while mentally prepping for a keynote sounded like a fast track to disaster. As we arrived, the atmosphere instantly soothed some of my jitters. The staff were so welcoming, the hall was buzzing, and the students...around 14 or 15 years old, were incredible.

Before my speech, the girls participated in a “round robin” of chatting with inspirational women across industries. Then came my turn. Lights. Mic. Giant screen behind me. And boom, I launched into my story. I talked about the crazy things I’ve done (hello, Land’s End adventure), and what it’s like doing them all while navigating life on wheels. At first, my hands were shaking so much I could’ve powered a small wind turbine. Thankfully, the mic was on a stand, and I sat at a desk, which was the best decision ever. If I’d had to hold the mic, it would’ve been a percussion instrument. But weirdly, once I started speaking, something clicked. Not the clicker (which I did master, by the way), but me. I found my rhythm, and the girls were really engaged (thank goodness!) Then came the Q&A, and wow, these girls brought their A-game. Sure, there were the usual ones about nutrition and training, but also deeper questions: best moments, hardest challenges, real human stuff. It was honestly the highlight.

After the talk, a group of students asked for a photo on stage. Some had to leave before it, sadly, but a big group stuck around. And then something truly surreal happened. A few of them asked me to sign their bags. Their actual bags. I was like, “Wait… you want my signature?” Imposter syndrome nearly exploded. I mean, I’ve asked Olympians and rugby champs for autographs, never thought I’d be on the other side of that exchange. But I signed. And smiled. And melted a little inside. And then we stood in a circle with Cat and just chatted...more questions, more laughs, more heart.

Later, a teacher emailed me to say that on the coach ride home, the students were still buzzing about my story. They were inspired. I mean, wow! To think that little old me, someone who’s just trying to do her thing in a wheelchair (while occasionally doing crazy things), could inspire the next generation? It’s overwhelming. It’s humbling. It’s emotional. And it’s why I’ll never forget that day.
If my slightly shaky keynote and dodgy clicker skills helped even one girl believe she could do something bold, brave, or bananas, then it was totally worth every moment of the panic prep.