Today, I interview Shawn Langwell who grew up in California in a loving family with two brothers. His father was a fireman, and Shawn looked up to him as his hero. However, when Shawn was 12, his father left the family to start a new family. This crushed Shawn, of course. He missed his father's presence and affection, and he didn't know how to cope. 

Unfortunately, he went from class valedictorian in school to a depressed and lost child struggling with drugs and alcohol. Looking back now, Shawn tells us that during those years since the departure of his dad, he was trying to be everything that his father wasn't. He felt the duty to keep an eye on the house, take care of his siblings, and help support his mother by shouldering the household responsibilities with her. Helping to do all of these things gave him a sense of purpose in a difficult situation. 

Shawn was still experiencing a lot of anger during his teenage years, and he did his best to mask that with drugs and alcohol. He'd always been the brainiac in school, but now that he was getting older, he was interested in girls but too shy to approach them. He found, as many do, that alcohol became his "liquid courage". 

At age 22, he decided to stop using. When he came back into a clear state of mind, he had to tangle with lots of questions about who he was and who he wanted to be in the world. He chose to keep learning. He became a waiter, then a salesman, then a husband and father. Shawn says that each of those experiences moved him closer and closer to a place of confidence where he was able to realize that he had a voice, and he could share his heart with people and help serve the world. 

One of the things he so powerfully shares with us is that we all have a voice, but it's important not to let all the other voices in our heads overshadow that voice. We can overcome that inner critic and have powerful connections with the world. Love is the common thread that binds us all together.

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Shawn Langwell is the Immediate Past President of The California Writers Club (CWC), Redwood Writers, past president of Toastmasters of Petaluma, an international speaker, and top producing media salesperson. He is the author of the memoir Beyond Recovery: A Journey of Grace, Love, and Forgiveness, and his recent release, Ten Seconds of Boldness: The Essential Guide to Solving Problems and Building Self-Confidence. His personal mission is to add value to people and businesses everywhere. More specifically: To encourage inspire, and help people become brave and confident enough to believe they can accomplish their dreams and goals. 

Find Shawn here: 
https://shawnlangwell.com/ 
https://www.facebook.com/shawn.langwell1 
https://www.linkedin.com/in/shawn-langwell-01937045/ 
https://www.instagram.com/shawnlangwell/ 

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I'm your podcast host, Dr. Doreen Downing, and I help people find their voice so they can overcome anxiety, be confident, and speak without fear. 

Get started now on your journey to your authentic voice by downloading my Free 7 Step Guide to Fearless Speaking: https://www.doreen7steps.com. 

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I’m Dr. Doreen Downing and I help people find their voice so they can speak without fear. Get the Free 7-Step Guide to Fearless Speaking https://www.doreen7steps.com​.