I Wasn’t Ready but I Said Yes Anyway (My Journey to the TEDx Stage)

I never imagined I’d be writing these words:I’m a TEDx speaker.

Not because I didn’t think it was a big deal but because it never even crossed my mind as a possibility for someone like me.

I didn’t grow up dreaming of standing on a TEDx stage. I wasn’t carefully plotting my path there. In fact, I didn’t think I fit the mold at all. TEDx felt reserved for perfectly poised, polished speakers with big platforms and professional videos.

That wasn’t me.Or at least, that’s the story I used to tell myself.

So when I’d jokingly say “Thanks for coming to my TED Talk” after one of my passionate life lessons or rants with friends. It was always just that: a joke. A way to laugh off my boldness and slide back into the safety of small thinking.

Little did I know, I was speaking it into existence. Because sometimes, God has bigger plans than the ones we can imagine.

The Unexpected Invitation

It all started during the Christmas holidays when I saw a social media post about TEDx Sugar Creek Women. I reached out not to speak, but to help plan the event. I love supporting other women and thought it would be fun to work behind the scenes.

But when I messaged the executive producer, Cara, she replied with something I wasn’t expecting:

“You should apply to speak.”

Cue the panic.

I immediately reached out to my speaker coach, Andrea, hoping for a graceful out. I figured she’d say:“Girl, no are you crazy?”

But instead she said:“You’re ready.”

I did not feel ready. Yes, I had presented at conferences, but speaking from the heart not the slides was new for me. My first real public talk about women’s hormone health had been just two months earlier at the FOCU$ED Conference.

TEDx felt... different. Big. Scary. Exposed.

A Leap of Faith (and an Imperfect Video)

I prayed on it.

While visiting family in Florida and celebrating my friend Anisha’s birthday in Antigua, I carved out time to work on my TEDx application between airport layovers and the beach. I was determined to submit it before unplugging for the rest of the trip. Then, I saw they required a video.

Y’all...I had dirt in my hair from riding dune buggies. No professional clothes in my suitcase. No equipment to record a polished video. And zero desire to record one.

I borrowed a cardigan from my friend, sat at a high-top table to strategically cover the midriff of my sundress, and hit record.

It wasn’t polished. It wasn’t perfect. And I second-guessed every second of it.

I even caught myself thinking: Maybe this is a sign. Maybe I’m not meant to do this.

But I submitted it anyway. Unfiltered. Imperfect. Unsure.

The Call That Changed Everything

Weeks later, I got a call from Cara on her birthday. I assumed she was calling to thank me for applying and offer me a behind-the-scenes role at the event.

Instead, she said:“Congratulations, you’ve been selected as one of 13 speakers out of nearly 100 applicants!”

I was speechless.

Me? The woman with dirt in her hair and an imperfect video?

That moment taught me something I’ll never forget:

Your message doesn’t need perfection. It needs authenticity.

Why I Chose to Speak About Menopause

As a nurse practitioner and founder of Telehealth for HER, I talk about menopause every single day. But standing on a global stage to say: “Menopause is a public health crisis and we’ve been whispering about it for too long”that required a deeper level of courage.

I knew this wasn’t about me. It was about starting a conversation the world desperately needs.

When we finally treat menopause like the societal issue it is, we won’t just help women, we’ll change families, workplaces, communities, and lives.

May 10th: The Day I Stepped Onto That Stage

On May 10th, I stepped onto the TEDx Sugar Creek Women stage. II was honored to stand in that space to give voice to the women who have been disappearing in silence for far too long.

What I Hope You’ll Take From My Journey

If you take nothing else from this reflection, I hope it reminds you of this:

✨ Perfectionism leads to stagnation.

✨ You don’t need to be perfect—you just need to be YOU.

✨ Bet on yourself. Even when your voice shakes. Especially then.

Want to see the talk that almost didn’t happen?

I poured my heart into this message and I’m so proud to share that it received a standing ovation.

🎥 Watch my TEDx Talk here

If it resonates with you, I’d be honored if you shared it—with a friend, a colleague, or a woman who needs to know she’s not alone.

With love,

Dr. Mariah Prince-Allen, DNP, FNP-BC

TEDx Speaker 🎤