You don't always find yourself facing audiences who are smiling the whole time. This is natural. As a speaker it is vital to prepare well and believe in what you have to say. You can't please every person in every crowd, but your message can matter much more than if you were only aiming to entertain.

Speaking Out is honest about some of the challenges posed by speaking out and looks at possible responses and coping strategies. By comparing notes, we can help guide each other through what can be challenging life experiences.

Success will be measured by change in the appallingly high levels of violence directed at women online and in the physical world, and change in the low levels of women's participation in public life.That change will require collective action, just as the changes so far have taken collective action.

If I can get a hike in on a regular basis I know I will feel better and I will be stronger. I set goals for myself - like learning to sew, learning to dance - things that are not work related. I find that play and craft with my family bring me a lot of joy, along with all things vintage.

There is a real effort to bully women out of public spaces and offline with violent intimidation. That issue speaks not just to casual sexism, which is more common, but actual, violent hatred of women by some.

Above and beyond looking after your physical needs, it can be very helpful to think about what activities and hobbies make you smile. Make room for those things in your life, so you can look after your mental wellbeing and stay energized and for life's challenges.

The reality is that we do not live in a predominantly feminist or 'gender equal' world, and many Australian women are experiencing workplace discrimination, sexual harassment, online abuse or worse, or common forms of casual, everyday sexism. They find themselves dismissed, talked over, ignored or facing backlash for doing the same thing their male colleagues are doing.