It was only when Street’s mum stepped in with some advice that Street gained perspective.
“She said, ‘Cut that, just be yourself. If you’re pretending to be someone else, it’s just not going to work. If they don’t like you, they’ll put you on a show that you’re suited to.’ And it was the best advice.”
Since then, Street has kept smiling and she’s unapologetic for her sunny disposition.
“I am a naturally smiley person, and that’s just my disposition. And sometimes I think to myself, you know what, I’ve come from a background where I’ve lost three siblings. If I’m too smiley, you can just suck it up.”
Nurturing self-confidence is something Street is passionate about, and it’s a lesson she’s now passing on to her own children.
“I’m here with my kids and I’m helping them with their school speeches and I’m helping them when they audition for things like theatre or if they have to say a speech for their sports team.”
Sharing what she’s learned throughout her career inspired Street’s new business Confident Communication, an online course in effective public speaking.
Street hopes to roll out a version of the course for teens in the next 12 months to help others avoid the crisis of confidence she felt when she started out on TV.
“It’s trying to just give them that pep talk that you’re gonna get judged, but who cares? ... Because eventually you’ll be creaming it and they won’t.”
Listen to the full episode for more on:
- What confidence looks like on and off camera
- The secret to handling criticism
- Why she’s proud to call herself an Aucklander (after years of saying she never would)
Ask Me Anything is an NZ Herald podcast hosted by former Deputy Prime Minister Paula Bennett. New episodes are available every Sunday.
You can follow the podcast at iHeartRadio, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.
