(For anyone who struggles with public speaking)
Me: I'm feeling anxious about a talk I'm about to give. I've come so far with my fear of public speaking, but this is a lot of people. I keep preparing and preparing...I’m overpreparing. I don't want to have to look at my notes or slides. I have too much on the slides. I don't even like slides...everyone looking at a wall - no human interaction. What I’d really like to do is stand there and talk out of my head, but I'm afraid I might freeze and get brain fog. Soul: Why are people coming? Me: To get information for themselves, their families, clients or patients. Soul: Do you think what you're talking about is useful to them? Me: I do,…I really do. Soul: So then, is this a performance, or is this you giving something that no one else can at this time or place? Me: It’s me giving. Soul: So are people coming to check you out, to judge you and tally the number of times you say "Um…," or are they coming because they think you have information that they might need? Me: That last one. I'm worried they might ask questions I won't be able to answer. Soul: Don't be defensive, and don't pretend to know something you don't. Tell them you don't know. They'll trust you more and have more confidence in what you do know. Before you start - breathe and remember you're there as a conduit of information and they're there because they have a need. Feel lucky you have something to bring to the universal table.....Just bring it... This isn't about you. This is bigger than you. Courtney A. Brown
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Yesterday I wrote the most amazingly insightful and humorous post. You can't imagine how life enhancing it was...but you'll have to, because I accidentally deleted it...or you could say, Ms. Divine intentionally did.
Last night I while considering the title for it, my eleven year old daughter asked me a question. I told her I was writing a conversation with my soul about public speaking and thought I'd title it, 'Just Bring It.' "You should call it, 'Public Speaking'" she tells me. I go on to explain in lofty abstract terms why the more subtle title works better. My husband chimes in, "'Just Bring It' works". I push "Publish" or so I thought, and the post is gone....forever. Now, I could've allowed my head to explode, or put guilt on my daughter whose question and excellent point distracted me into clicking the wrong button. I could've rushed to rewrite the post to assure that anxiety ridden public speakers throughout the world would have a spiritual reference tool to save them in their darkest moment. I could ponder all the reasons Ms. Divine stopped that post, including my seeking others approval (always a mistake), my overthinking and not posting immediately, and my needing yet another lesson in frustration tolerance. Instead, I decided Ms. Divine thought it sucked, closed my laptop and went to bed. Courtney A Brown |
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"Divine" references the soul, our collective souls and the mystery of life. ArchivesCategories
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