How do I talk about my past record and move on to what I offer?

You have learned to name your record without flinching, keep it brief, and turn the conversation toward what you bring. That is a genuine skill, and it took work to build. Underneath it is a belief you have earned the right to hold: that your past is one fact about you, not the whole of you. Because you do this well, watch for the rare room that wants to keep you pinned to the past. You owe honesty, not endless re-litigation. Say your piece cleanly, and if someone tries to make it the only subject, it is fair to redirect once and, if they will not move, to walk. Your steadiness is a filter as much as a skill. And remember how rare this ease is. Others with a record still dread what you have made routine. When you can, show one of them how you do it, the brevity, the pivot, the calm. What took you years to learn could save someone else a great deal of quiet suffering.