She’s a nighttime ER doctor who was terrified of public speaking.

Charmaine Gregory, M.D. realized when she was asked to speak in front of groups, she couldn’t sleep and had sweaty palms, a racing heart, and anxiety attacks. She considered putting herself on a beta blocker in advance of speaking events.

As a mom of 3 kids (ages 7, 9, and 10) – she knew something had to change.

Charmaine discovered her fear of public speaking when she was trying to overcome burnout. I asked Charmaine what was she afraid of, and you’ll probably identify with her fears: that she’d have food in her teeth, or she’d trip and fall on stage, or the audience would hate her… the list went on.

Burnout hit its peak for Charmaine when she started running after having 3 kids. After a few races, she had to have surgery for a meniscus tear. She had to stop exercising while she healed, and finally had her moment of realization when she tried on a suit and it didn’t fit. She realized she had to make some changes, and looking back, realized she was living in a way she didn’t have to live.

Charmaine started exercising again, practicing mindfulness, and listening to podcasts on personal development. She decided to become a public speaker, and started telling colleagues about her goals.

As Charmaine says, “You can find a few minutes a day to take care of yourself and deposit into your ‘joy bank’.”

On top of working in the ER, parenting 3 kids, public speaking, and hosting a podcast, Charmaine and her husband also homeschool their kids, so we chatted about how they have fit that into their busy schedules. Fear of public speaking –

You can find Charmaine online at her podcast, Fearless Freedom with Dr. G, @charmainegregorymd on instagram, @charmsfitdoc on twitter, Charmaine Gregory MD on LinkedIn, and Charmaine Gregory MD on Facebook.