I’ve always believed in learning by going to the source. Before I ever spoke on a stage, I spent years travelling, learning from teachers in very different environments: from ashrams in India to time spent with Tibetan Buddhist monks in Nepal. Those experiences shaped how I think about voice. Not just what you say, but where you speak from.
In 2023, I found myself in a very different setting, working with Sage Lavine in San Francisco. Her work is bold, visible, and pushes you to step forward in a completely different way.
But I didn’t expect to end up on stage with her in front of 300 people.
In that moment, I had a choice: stay where I felt safe, or step forward and trust myself. I chose to step forward and she led me through a deep process in front of the audience.
Working with Sage in that way had a real impact on me. It built on everything I had already learned and pushed me to show up more fully. That shift shaped how I live and how I work with my clients.
What I see again and again is this: people don’t need to become someone else to move forward. They need to trust what they already have. When clients come to me, they are often focused on a goal or decision, but underneath there’s usually doubt or hesitation. My role is not to push harder, but to create space for clarity and to challenge where needed.
As one client shared, working with me gave them “permission to aim high and to not undersell” themselves, while also taking a more holistic view of their life.
That word — permission — comes up a lot.
Permission to think bigger.
Permission to move at your own pace.
Permission to take yourself seriously.
I’m still learning, still putting myself in rooms where I don’t have all the answers.
Because growth doesn’t happen from the sidelines.
It happens when you step forward, even when you’re not completely ready.
I’m running a FREE workshop on Wednesday 26 August at 6pm UK time – live online and open to everyone… sign up here: https://find-your-voice-own-the-room.eventbrite.co.uk
You’ll learn how to speak with confidence; build the kind of self-trust that changes how you show up everywhere, in your work, in your relationships, and bigger and bolder opportunities. I’ll also share the details of my Own The Room course, with a special offer for everyone who attends.
There’s nothing to lose, I’m so looking forward to having you in the room.
Love Rifa x
