Calmfidence: How to Trust Yourself, Tame Your Inner Critic, and Shine in Any Spotlight

by Patricia Stark

Learn how to communicate inside and out with calm, confidence, and self-love no matter the circumstances.

Presenters and performers aren’t the only ones who need calm and confidence in their everyday lives. After all, confidence is the fuel that drives us toward our ambitions, and calm eases the way. And when the two states combine, they form a magical and powerful combination.

After years of struggling with communication in school, business, and public, Patricia Stark achieved this state of “Calmfidence” not through some single moment of revelation but through years of small insights, “aha” moments, and constant practice. Today, after helping thousands of students and clients find their own voices and abilities, Stark makes her methods available in Calmfidence ―a comprehensive guide to improving communication skills in any social interaction.

Calmfidence gathers a unique set of mental tools and experiential practices for quelling the self-sabotaging habits of the Inner Critic. With warmth and compassion, Stark guides you in how to identify and overcome your blockages to communication, how to react skillfully to strong emotions as they arise, and how to deal with setbacks in your Calmfidence journey without self-judgment.

Here you will

• “Calmfidence boosters”―practices for shoring up your ease and resilience on the spot and in the moment
• Positive daily habits to avoid burnout, exhaustion, and other drains on your Calmfidence
• How to soothe negative inner beliefs around age, body type, unrealistic expectations, and more
• The dos and don’ts of healthy, engaged eye contact
• Why mindfulness of facial expressions and body language is imperative for effective communication
• How to sidestep and eventually erase any fear of public speaking
• Common verbal tics that disrupt public speaking, and how to wean yourself away from them
• Advanced tips for transforming public speaking engagements into memorable, inspiring occasions
• Interview how to navigate and eventually master one of the most nerve-wracking social exchanges
• Natural, non-intoxicating remedies for soothing ambient stress and restoring balance

You don’t need some rare talent to communicate well. When you engage with the exercises and encouragement in Calmfidence , you’ll learn how to stop surrendering to fear and become the calm and confident communicator who has always been waiting within.

Genres: Nonfiction, Psychology

280 pages, Hardcover

Published September 21, 2021

Reviews

[Katie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tips, tricks, and strategies for activating your calm and confidence centers. It highlights both personal and professional settings and includes journal prompts at the end of most chapters to promote reflection.

[Reilly Hacker · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has great confidence tips and tricks! As a performer, I know I will be picking this book up again and again to revisit its pertinent advice.

[Eric Hannemann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Calmfidence, and I’ll type it once because my phone will auto correct it until the depths of the ocean waters dry up. But, I love the idea of bringing calm and confidence together! And, honestly, why would we not?

Patricia Stark believes we all have the capacity to display confidence for ourselves and communicate that to the outer world. Which, in turn, creates calm and confidence for the people around us.

Filled with tips and tricks, simple exercises, and thoughtful chapter closing statements with engagement, we are given a plethora of strategies to develop our authentic self in front of others. I couldn’t be more grateful to have it all right here in this book.

Though this book is great for everyone, but I wholeheartedly believe it should be required reading for a college senior. I wish it was written during my education years! You’re just entering the world and taking on a new career. The information presented in this book is truly a graduation present!

It often dawns on me when reading coaching books that the author has spent decades crafting and turning their work. And we, the lucky ones, get to have all those years of tried and tested wisdom available to us for immediate consumption.

Patricia’s voice and her book is like having a personal coach right on your shelf, a reference to return to for calm and confidence at any time!

Side note: I began working with these strategies personally, and I’ve felt a much deeper connection with others right away.

[Isabella · Rating 3 out of 5]

I listened to this book over the last week as I thought it might help with a bit of anxiety. The first half was quite good and had a few useful tips. I did already know them but it was nice to hear them again. The second half of the book was more about how to present yourself to an audience or on camera. As a lecturer I don’t necessarily feel unconfident with presenting, more that I just prefer small groups of people. I would never go on camera and I generally don’t care what others think of me, as I quite like me. But I understand why some of these things maybe important in different jobs/roles. So an okay book.

[James Goldrick · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a true guide, designed to inspire and promote public speaking confidence without anxiety or nervousness. The writings are fill with positive strategies and examples of real-life experience that stimulate any type of audience communication success. Patricia Stark is a highly skilled professional who has successfully assisted thousands of individuals, corporate professionals, and performers over her many years as a communication expert.

[Joni Owens · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a perfect book for people, like me, with high anxiety. I have a lot of trouble being in the now. This book has tons of tips and exercises on how to be present and focused.

[Mary Ellen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Teachable chapters, excellent book to help you get out of your own way. I'm going to read it again and fill out work book pages this time!

[Miranda · Rating 1 out of 5]

There’s useful tips on public speaking but I found a lot of the information directly pertained to people who are in-front of the camera or professional public speakers.

[Kristen Butler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Resonated with EVERYTHING in this book so much that I knew I had Calmfidence. Totally love this author and everything she's about. :)

[Readerbug · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of THE most helpful books I’ve ever read!

This is without a doubt one of the best self-help book’s I’ve ever read. The advice is not only common-sense, but reassuring and calming as well.

[Sophie · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5* good tips for being cool in stressful situations (interviews, presentations etc). Will revisit when these situations arise! Well written. Some advice is quite basic.