Sage Steele on Overcoming Fear, Faith, and Fighting for Free Speech

The Pervasive Nature of Fear

• 💡 Sage Steele describes a past filled with pervasive fear, impacting her role as a mother, her marriage, and her sense of self.
• 🎯 She felt pressure to make herself smaller to avoid making others, including her husband, feel inadequate, reflecting a traditional mindset.
• ⚠️ Fear also extended to societal issues, where she felt compelled to remain silent to avoid alienating groups based on race or political alignment.
• 🧠 The constant internal conflict and fear caused significant mental distress, described as making her hair curl.

Embracing Authenticity and Faith

• 🚀 Steele shares that choosing to be true to herself has brought immense relief and a sense of peace, despite significant financial and professional costs.
• 🔑 She emphasizes that leading with her heart, kindness, and strength allows her to be authentic, placing the onus on others to accept her for who she is.
• 🙏 Her faith, particularly her Catholic beliefs, has been a cornerstone in overcoming fear, with a pivotal moment in the shower leading to a profound trust in God.
• 🎭 Steele views her past experiences of being cancelled, embarrassed, and ostracized as blessings that ultimately led her to a stronger sense of self and faith.

The Power of Vulnerability and Truth

• 💬 By admitting and sharing her fears, Steele found genuine connections with others and became more powerful by being less susceptible to manipulation.
• ⚡ She believes that living authentically and being clear about one's truths makes a person unpredictable to those who might seek to control them.
• 🌟 Opening up about personal struggles, even professionally, has resulted in overwhelmingly positive responses and a sense of helping others who also live in fear.

Parental Influence and Free Speech

• 🗣️ Steele informed her children about her lawsuit against Disney, encouraging them not to defend her but to remind others of the right to free speech and diversity of thought.
• 💔 She realized that her quiet fear was a negative example for her children, teaching them the opposite of the strength and authenticity she desired for them.
• ✊ The decision to sue her employer, despite the personal and professional risks, was a victory in itself as it demonstrated her commitment to standing up for herself and her principles.
• 🎯 Steele now believes her purpose is to use her voice to help others overcome fear, recognizing that her journey, though difficult, has equipped her for this mission.