Fighting the Doubt, Owning the Stage: One Outsider’s TEDx Journey

My TEDx Talk, Thriving as an Outsider, is officially live. And now that it’s out in the world, I’ve been sitting with everything it took to get there.

Naeemah's TEDx

When I imagined being a TEDx speaker, I had no idea what I was signing up for.

First came the research; trying to figure out what makes an idea “worth spreading.” Then came the pressure of writing a proposal strong enough to get me in the room. I pulled together the audition video. I hit send. And waited.

When I was selected, I was thrilled. But the real work was just beginning.

Our speaker cohort had a month to write our scripts. I wrote at least 15 drafts. We had coaching sessions twice a week. I asked for feedback constantly. I hosted seven public run-throughs, just to test the language - Does this land? Does it sound like me? Am I saying what I think I’m saying?

Then I brought in my director. And he tore the script apart. Not to be cruel, but to get to the truth.

It wasn’t malicious; it was exactly what I needed. He gave me the kind of raw, necessary, critical feedback that forced me to strip away the corporate jargon and show up as my true, honest self.

That’s when the real talk started to take shape.

April was full of twice-weekly practices with my director. By then, my family knew every line. My daughter called out any phrasing that didn’t feel right. My son told me when something sounded mean-spirited. My husband helped me sharpen the message and say more with less. I ran it again and again in front of clients and friends - 14 times total, maybe more. I even created a workshop around developing your TED Talk, just so I could practice mine live.

And still, I started to unravel.

Fifteen minutes of fully memorized text... and I would forget my place at a different point every time. I was sure I wasn’t ready. That I’d built something too big. That I wouldn’t live up to it.

That final week, I was rough on myself. Really unkind. I built pressure and the narrative of impossibility. And I turned it up and up and up...

Until my director stopped me during a run-through and said, “Let’s breathe.”

We paused. I closed my eyes. Counted in… held… counted out. And I remembered: I know how to do this.

That Saturday morning, I meditated in music - on the drive in, in the auditorium, in the dressing room.

🎵 One Moment in Time

🎵 Fortune Favors the Brave

🎵 Feeling Good

🎵 Good as Hell

🎵 Wonder

🎵 The Impossible Dream

Everywhere I went, the inspiration flowed.

And then, backstage with my headphones. Forty-five quiet minutes. Guided meditations on calm, breathing, and giving & receiving from the universe. Then low, soothing tones under my final practice. And silence.

When it was time, I stepped into the spotlight. And I was completely centered. In my body. In my breath. In my message.

I could feel the audience from the very first line. Their reactions were visceral! every laugh, every still moment, every “mm-hmm.” I could feel their agreement. Their surprise. That moment when they realized: they weren’t alone.

And then the applause started. And I realized - I wasn’t alone either.

I’ve been told my whole life that my experience isn’t universal. That it’s personal, specific, niche. That not everyone will get it.

But on May 3, 2025, the audience told me otherwise. They told me that my story is universal. That I gave voice to a collective experience. That I made invisible people feel seen - maybe for the first time.

I’m grateful for everything I learned in this process; mostly, what’s possible when I put all of myself into something.

I’m grateful for the friends, colleagues, and clients who gave me honest feedback, spaces to play, and audiences to torture 😅.

Now, every time I watch a TED Talk or a great keynote, I feel a deep respect for what made that moment possible. The invisible work. The emotional labor. The fight to stay true to your message.

This talk was a fight.

A gift.

A truth I had to live through before I could speak it.

You can watch it here:🎥 Thriving as an Outsider – TEDxRoxbury

If it resonates, I’d love to hear what it brings up for you.

Let's make our presence known,

Naeemah Elias

PS - Bring "Thriving" and my other talks to your conference or your team. Let's Chat!