FATHER DAUGHTER BREAKFAST

NICOLA BRITTON Community Liaison Officer

Katrina Blowers always knew she wanted to be a journalist, travelling the world and covering the stories that matter. She never anticipated that a ‘horrific’ incident would happen on air in the safety of the studio.

Katrina has covered global events for major newspapers, radio stations and television networks. She has been a correspondent for the Commonwealth Games and the G20, travelled with the media packs covering state and federal elections and assigned to the murder trial that gripped a nation: that of Gerard Baden-Clay. She’s a former opinion columnist for the Sunday Telegraph, several major magazines and online news sites and was a restaurant critic for The Sydney Morning Herald and The Brisbane Times.

A proud Queenslander, Katrina has returned home to be anchor of the weekend 6pm news bulletin for the Seven Network in Brisbane.

Five years ago, Katrina was live on air when she was struck by a panic attack. At the time she was going through a divorce and said despite it being amicable it was a stressful time for her. She continued to push through her stress as if everything were normal but eventually it came back to haunt her.

Within seconds of going live on that illfated day, Katrina suffered the first of many anxiety attacks.

"The only thing that kept me sitting in the seat was that I thought to myself, I don't want to become a YouTube sensation, I don't want to go viral."

"It was after that night I started to get anxiety about even going into work, about driving up Mt Coot-tha, going into the studio, everything felt like a trigger," she said.

So Katrina had a decision to make – walk away from her much-loved job or 're-learn everything' to regain her confidence. In choosing the latter, Katrina has become better and stronger for it and shared her advice for Inhaling Confidence, Exhaling Doubt at the Father Daughter Breakfast on 20 April.

Whether you are struggling with getting on stage, social scenarios, exams or just battling that Big Bad Wolf in your mind, you too can build your confidence in the moment and find your courage. Some of Katrina’s favourite affirmations include: 'You are so much more than the bad things that happen to you' and 'You can’t wait until life isn’t hard anymore before you decide to be happy.

Her key message: "You can claim your confidence. If in doubt, breathe."