The path to being an ally is not a straight line. Some days with some topics with some audiences, I feel super confident, able to forge ahead. But some days with some topics with some audiences, I find I'm not as confident or as knowledgeable or as prepared as I would have liked. In those moments, I find myself taking a step back. Sometimes it takes me longer to reflect and take a another step forward, but I need to commit to keep moving forward. It gets a bit easier each time to feel that sense of defeat, step back, and reflect and then step forward.