Afraid to Speak English? That Fear Is Costing You More Than You Think

I didn’t create English for Ladies to help you pass another exam.

And I definitely didn’t build it so you could hang one more certificate on the wall and still feel afraid to speak.

I created it because I know how it feels to be that woman:
You’ve done the courses,you know the grammar, you understand almost everything.

But when it’s time to speak? You hesitate. You edit yourself. You stay silent.

Not because you can’t form the sentence.
But because you’re afraid of what that sentence might sound like.

“Why do I sound so stupid in English?”

This is one of the most common fears I hear, and no, I don’t think the word “stupid” is too strong.

Women actually say this.

“I sound so childish when I speak.”

“I know I’m smart, but I sound like a beginner.”

“People must think I’m not educated.”

“I feel like I lose 20 years of my life experience the moment I open my mouth.”

It’s not just fear of speaking.
It’s fear of being misunderstood.
Fear of being underestimated.
Fear of being seen as less than who you are.

And most of all, fear of being judged for the one thing you still can’t seem to do well, even though you've tried so hard for so long.

That kind of fear doesn’t go away by doing another vocabulary worksheet, or watching more YouTube videos.

It needs something deeper.

The hidden cost of staying silent

Let’s be honest — fear has consequences.

And when women are afraid to speak, they often make themselves smaller in ways that affect their careers, their opportunities, and their earning potential.

Here are some scary facts:

💼 Women don’t even apply for jobs unless they meet 100% of the qualifications.
By comparison, men typically apply when they meet around 60% of the criteria.
(Source: Hewlett Packard internal report, later cited in multiple gender gap studies.)

🧠 And for women whose first language isn’t English, there’s often an added layer of self-doubt.
They assume that unless their English is perfect, they don’t deserve the opportunity. . But please, really, please, apply for that job before your English is perfect. Say yes to that first interview and make 100 mistakes if you have to. Because you might be exactly the person they’ve been waiting for.

💸 Globally, women who speak English earn significantly more than women who don’t.
In some studies, English-speaking women earn up to 30–50% more than their non-English-speaking peers, especially in global industries like tech, finance, and remote admin.
(Source: Education First, World Bank, and multiple global workforce studies.)

But this isn’t just about money.
It’s about the confidence to put yourself forward and the emotional cost of holding yourself back.

“What if they laugh?” “What if I freeze?” “What if I sound like a child?”

You’re not alone in asking these things.

In fact, if we looked at Google search history, we’d probably find women around the world typing questions like:

• “How to sound smart in English”

• “How to stop freezing during interviews”

• “Why do I sound stupid when I speak English?”

• “How to speak fluently even if I’m nervous”

• “Why can I understand English but not speak?”

And beneath those searches?
Real women.
Smart women.
Professionals, caregivers, students, entrepreneurs — all wondering if they’re the only ones who feel this way.

You’re not.

You’re not broken. You’re just scared — and that makes complete sense.

Because the way most of us were taught language didn’t prepare us for real conversations, it prepared us for tests.

We don’t need more certificates. We need more space.

When I moved to the UK, I already knew English.
I could write essays, pass exams, explain grammar better than most native speakers.
But when someone asked me a simple question in a real-life conversation, I froze.

Not because I didn’t know the answer. But because I was afraid I’d say it wrong. That I’d sound silly.
That they’d hear my accent, or notice my mistakes, and decide I wasn’t smart.

That fear kept me quiet for far too long.

That’s why I created this space, not for fluent speakers, but for women who are still figuring it out.
Women who are good at their jobs, good in their communities, and quietly stuck behind a wall of fear they can’t quite name.

If that’s you, I want you to know: you’re not the only one who’s scared.

You’re not the only one who cries after interviews.
You’re not the only one who replays conversations over and over in your head.
You’re not the only one who knows she’s capable and still can’t speak up.

So what if confidence isn't something you wait for?

What if confidence isn’t the result of reaching fluency , but the result of speaking before you feel ready?

What if confidence is just the quiet courage to try…
Even if your grammar isn’t perfect.
Even if your accent shows.
Even if you make a mess of it the first few times.

What if the goal isn’t to sound native,  but to be understood, respected, and heard?

A place to practise — even before you feel ready

That’s what we’re building inside the English Speaking Confidence Community.

It’s not a course you take and complete.
It’s an ongoing space where you practise out loud, in real time  and start becoming the version of yourself who doesn’t wait to be perfect.

You don’t need perfect grammar.
You don’t need another certificate.
You just need to be brave enough to show up — and use the English you already have.

You might be surprised how powerful it feels… just to be heard.