There's a moment most women can point to— a meeting, a conversation, a stage, a dinner table— where we had something to say… and didn't. Not because we didn't know what to say. Not because we weren't qualified.But because somewhere along the way, we learned: Be careful. Don't be too much. Don't say it wrong. Don't say it at all. And if that feels familiar, this week's episode of Carrie On! is for you.

The Backyard Shifted

I first saw Samara Bay speak at Cocktails & Conversation with the BRA Network, and I'm not exaggerating when I say—you could feel the shift. Shoulders dropped. People leaned in. You could almost hear the collective exhale of women realizing… oh, it's not just me. Samara doesn't just teach voice. She dismantles everything we've been taught about it. And now, she's bringing that same energy to Carrie On!.

The Lie We've Been Sold About "Confidence"

We've been conditioned to believe that power sounds a certain way. Lower. Slower. More controlled. Less emotional. Less expressive. Less… us. But who decided that? And more importantly—who benefits from us trying to fit into that mold?

In our conversation, Samara breaks down what she calls voice bias—the invisible rules about how we're "supposed" to sound if we want to be taken seriously.

And here's the kicker: Those rules were never designed with us in mind.

The Real Problem Isn't Your Voice

Let's be clear:

There is nothing wrong with your voice. Not your tone. Not your cadence. Not your "ums," your "likes," your energy, your emotion. The problem is the story you've been carrying about it.

That you're too much. Or not enough. Too loud. Too soft. Too emotional. Too something.

Samara's book, Permission to Speak, is exactly what it sounds like— an invitation to drop those stories and come back to yourself. Not a "fix." Not a rebrand. A return.

Fear vs. Love (And Why It Changes Everything)

Most of us have been practicing public speaking from a place of fear. Don't mess up. Don't look stupid. Don't get it wrong. It's protective. It's human. It's also exhausting.

What Samara offers instead is a radical shift:

What if you spoke from love?

Love for your message. Love for the people you're speaking to. Love for the impact you want to make.Because when you focus on that— you stop performing… and start connecting.

And people can feel the difference.

Start Smaller Than You Think

If you're waiting to feel "ready" before you use your voice, you'll be waiting a long time.

Instead: Start small.

A conversation. A comment. A post. A room where you feel safe enough to try. Find your people. Your allies. The ones who remind you who you are when you forget. Because here's the truth no one says out loud: Confidence isn't built alone. It's built in community.

Say It Anyway

You don't need a bigger platform. You don't need more followers. You don't need to sound like anyone else.

You just need to start.

Messy. Imperfect. Real.

Because your voice, exactly as it is, might be the thing someone else is waiting to hear.

Watch the episode HERE. Or listen on Apple or S potify .

And I'll leave you with this:

What's something you've been holding back from saying?

Take this 2 minute quiz and find out what’s keeping you silent!

You're Not Too Much…You've Just Been Told to Be Quiet with Samara Bay