How to boost confidence and presence!
When I was fifteen, I was cast as Queen Aggravain—the scheming, overbearing, and gloriously dramatic mother of Prince Dauntless—in my high school’s production of Once Upon a Mattress.
It was my first time playing royalty. I was thrilled, intimidated, and completely unsure how to be a queen. But my director, Ora Lichtenstein, had other plans. “By the time I’m done with you,” she declared in her commanding South African accent, “you will walk, sit, stand, gesture, and speak like royalty!”
Turning Into a Queen
Our first rehearsal began with Ora handing me a book.
“Imagine it’s a crown,” she said. “Now walk!”
The book slipped immediately.
“Shoulders back, head up! Smooth steps!” she barked.
And so began my training. Day after day, I practiced walking with that imaginary crown, keeping my posture tall and my movements intentional. Over time, I didn’t need the book anymore—I could feel the crown. My body began to remember what it felt like to move through space with confidence and poise.
By the time I donned my costume (complete with a dramatic black velvet cape lined with red satin, courtesy of my talented mother) and my jeweled crown, I already felt royal—from the inside out.
That transformation stuck with me. Playing Queen Aggravain helped me discover what presence truly feels like: grounded, graceful, and unapologetically powerful.
The Tiaras in My Office Drawer
Fast-forward a few decades, and I still keep a plastic tiara and crown in my office.
When I’m coaching clients on public speaking or presentation skills, I sometimes place that tiara on their heads and channel my old director:
“Walk like a queen. Sit like a king. Gesture like you mean it.”
After the laughter subsides, something magical happens. My clients begin to move differently. Their shoulders lift. Their energy expands. Their presence magnifies. They begin to own the room.
It’s a beautiful transformation to witness—proof that confidence can start with something as simple as the way we carry ourselves.
Should You Go Buy a Crown?
So, should you head to the party store for a tiara of your own? Honestly—yes!
Especially if you tend to shrink in order to seem polite, pleasing, or perfect.
As I say in my keynote, Touch the Sky, you are here to be a Skygrabber—someone who maximizes their potential and radiates Charismatic Presence™ in every way.
That includes taking up the physical space you deserve.
When you step into your next meeting, presentation, or networking event, imagine that invisible crown on your head.
Walk with purpose.
Sit with poise.
Keep your shoulders back and your gaze level.
Own your space, your power, and your impact—because when you carry yourself like royalty, others will see your worth and respond in kind.
And if you’d like to strengthen your ability to lead with confidence, power, and magnetic presence—let’s find time to chat.
👉 If you want to experience the power of live group training, join me for a 2-Day Deep Dive Presentation Skills Workshop on October 25–26, 2025. Click here to learn more.
Or, if you’d like to bring customized, in-house training in Presentation Skills, Storytelling, or Communication Skills to your team, click here.
📘 P.S. Buy Eleni’s book, Charismatic Presence: Five Principles for Magnetic Presentations
Follow me on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/elenikelakos/
Eleni Kelakos, CSP The Speaker Whisperer®