We all wear masks. They protect us, hide us, and can eventually become so familiar we forget they’re even there.

In my recent two-part conversation with Kremena Yordanova on the Soulful Speaking Podcast, we explored what happens when those masks begin to fall away — and how it changes not only our speaking, but our leadership and our lives.

Kremena vividly remembers being a child on stage — and suddenly forgetting everything. That early moment of stage freeze lingered, echoing in boardrooms and leadership roles years later.

In the corporate world, she became known as The Kremenator — a leader who got things done, but often at the cost of wearing armor.

Yoga changed that.

Teaching and practicing gave her a space to soften, to breathe, to recover. It helped her shed the masks that had once felt necessary, and in doing so, she discovered a new relationship to her own voice — one rooted in both fire and softness.

✨ “Speaking is an art form. Life can be an art form. And sometimes the most powerful shift is when we finally allow ourselves to flow.”

Today, Kremena embraces the quirks, the mistakes, and even the imposter monsters that sometimes whisper before she steps on stage.

Instead of fighting them, she thanks them — and then tells them, “Not today.”

She’s learned that audiences don’t want perfect scripts. They want humanity. They want the moment that can’t be repeated, the laugh that wasn’t planned, the honesty that breaks through the noise.

One of my favorite moments from our conversation was when Kremena shared a story of raw honesty on a panel. That vulnerability sparked connection, shifted the energy in the room, and opened the door to powerful conversations and new relationships.

✨ “When you think you have nothing to say, maybe you’re the exact person who needs to speak.”

Whether you’re on a stage, in a boardroom, or simply speaking up in your daily life, the same truth applies: when the masks fall away, your light shines brighter. And that radiance is contagious.

Ready to turn up your own light? Catch both episodes with Kremena Yordanova on the Soulful Speaking Podcast.