One of my most transformative moments came when I realized that my fear of speaking up in business settings wasn’t coming from my adult self—it was “Little Fiona,” the younger part of me that had learned it wasn’t safe to express opinions. Instead of being frustrated with this fear, I began an internal dialogue: “I understand why you feel this way, but we’re safe now. Adult Fiona knows how to handle this.”

This simple acknowledgment and reassurance often dissolved the fear in moments. I discovered that many of my seemingly irrational reactions made perfect sense when viewed through the lens of my inner child’s experiences and needs.