For years, I’ve had a fear of public speaking, as I’ve shared here. Despite having written two bestselling books, I’ve mostly avoided public speaking for more than a decade. Yes, speaking in front of audiences terrified me that much! Enough already!
Anyhow, in the past few weeks, I’ve become determined. Single focused. Adamantly insistent. I’ve decided that long before the release next year of my third book, I blew my diet! Now what?, I will become a fearless, compassionate, inspiring speaker so I can reach the millions, who most need my help and guidance so they can Rebound After Relapse, as I put it. (That’s me motivating audiences, thanks to this fun cartoon from Isabella Bannerman.)
It’s obvious: I cannot avoid speaking any longer, because my new messages could help so many people. After all, some 117 million Americans go on a diet every year but within weeks, months or years, roughly 95 percent of them fail. (That’s what happened to me seven years ago when I brokenheartedly pigged out on processed carbs after my Mom angrily died and then packed on 21 pounds.)
Because I really want to serve hundreds of thousands of people in a much bigger way, it’s time to speak. People — like you? — need my valuable information and super-simple, transformative tools.
Most important, it’s high time that I stop hiding! So, at last, although I’m a huge introvert — I adore my quiet time! — this is the year to begin to “Speak Dangerously,” as the inspiring Susan Cain put it.
I’m so grateful that I have an introverted-author role model in Susan Cain, who began to step out on stages with the publication of her book, Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking.
Now check out how fabulous a speaker Susan Cain is! Just watch her brilliant, mezmerizing TED talk on The Power of Introverts.)
To lick my speaking fear and achieve my goal this year of becoming a charismatic, powerful, motivating speaker, I’ve been taking speaking training.
To that end, I recently took The Power to Wow course with Lynn Rose. Before that, I enjoyed Kymberlee Weil’s Road to the Red Circle event. And while I was still healing couple of years ago, I also studied with the dynamic Bo Eason and the impressive Victoria Labalme.
Now as I get more and more determined to Speak to Serve (as I like to put it), I’ve really upped the ante.
Although it scared the living daylights out of me, I made myself sign up for a Speak Off, which is a speaking contest that’s part of the upcoming Advance Your Reach Live event presented by Pete Vargas. This was HUGE for me to apply!
Already, I’ve shifted. Less than two weeks ago, I still preferred to hide. I was that incredibly nervous about speaking!
Now, though, I’m getting invigorated thinking about and practicing speaking.
Now, to get in the I-can-do-it frame of mind to become a spectacular, motivating, fearless speaker, I invited cartoonist Isabella Bannerman to invent a fun image of my winning as a speaker.
Now, thanks to some wonderful coaches and my determination, I’m starting to see myself fearlessly triumphing as a speaker and inspiring my audience. Woo Hoo!
(FYI, a while back, Bannerman previously created a poke-fun-of-my-speaking fear caricature of me — I was cowering behind a stage! But not anymore!)
Have you, too, held yourself back from something important, because you preferred to hide rather than tackle something that terrifies you?
Join me! What HUGE goal have you been avoiding but would like to achieve? Tell us about it. Then go for it!