If I can do it, you can do it too! Backstage of my first public speaking
Why Public Speaking?
I have been complaining for a long time that my voice was not heard, with my workmates, at home, everywhere.... Being a graphic recorder has really supported me to practice deep listening and is something I really enjoy doing. But the truth is that, I had a sense I needed space to express my self somehow, I often had a feeling that I needed to say something...
“When we turn our complains into wishes, is when the magic happens!“
How did it happen?
I had a call to share and offer my services as a graphic recorder the wonderful organizing team at South Summit. During this meeting, to my total surprise instead of being offered a job I was offered my first opportunity as a public speaker! I was in shock and not able to say yes ride away. I asked for some time to think about it, and in a few days, without any doubt, I confimed. I undestood this is what I was what I needed at this moment.
How was the big day?
The room was full. The wait is always a moment time moves slowly. Surpisingly I was not that nervous…
A men dressing in gold introduced me, but not just any men, it was the Master of Ceremony Gijsbertus J.J. van Wulfen, a wonderful reference in the field of innovation and disruptive thinking. What an honour! Do not miss his talk at the event here.
From here, I stepped in to my power, I sudenly deeply bealived that my message was more important than what I thought about it and did my talk.
I started my talk in the most engaging way I could think of. I asked the public to stand up depending on when was the last time they drew. All participants were standing when I asked if the last time was in 2024. Is clear the profile and interest of the attendants, they were a great public!
Public standing up at Catalyst Stage
You can see the recoridng of my talk here. But if you want to know in a nutshell this are the main key ideas: visuals bring light in the darkeness, distill the essence of what really matters, and makes it last, to take decisions based on what really matters towards were we DO want to go.
II thought sharing live a little session of “visual coaching” with a volunteer was a going to wake the audience and transmit the excitment and support that only visuals can bring. Thank you to my brave and lovely volunteer Isabella Alina Branisteanu for comming up the stage so determined.
How did I prepare?
I bealive that great things are never done alone, and for this adventure I needed a partner in crime. I found the best one, Lorena Silvestri from .jes, and amazing public speaking coach with extended experience in the field that I can not recommend more!
In this journey, there has been sweet moments, great growth and personal and professional development for me, but also I experinced feelings of doubt and lack of confidence. Having Lorena by my side brought gentle wisdom and messages I will not forget, here are some of the precious perals:
About how much to disclose: “When you go up an stage, generosity has to be the motor”
When impostor syndrom kicks in: “What you have to say is more important than what you think about it” .
When more impostor syndrome pops: You just need to bealive deeply in your self!
Lorena even came the day of my talk
Lorena Silvestri, like a proud mum she sat at the first line, taking pics, holding the space, caring and wishing the best every step of the way! <3
Raffaella Totticchi my biz partner did the impossible also to be at the event day.
Celebrations and greatfulness
I did it!! I did it!!! I did iiiiiiiiit! I specially celebrate the fact that I really really enjoyed the process, and this doesn’t happen often. It has been months dedicated to this project, and I enjoyed every step of the way. I think is because I chose the right companions, and it was definetly what I needed to feel heard, to turn my complains in to wishes, daring to talk and let my self to be seen.
To my impostor syndrome I want to say:
“Yes, maybe you are right and there is not much new in the contents that I shared but the way I shared it was unique”.
And appreciate all the support from Lorena Silvestri, my partner Bosco Rey Stolle, and Andrea Beleván from South Summit for the great opportunity and my friend Daniel Hires for the conection.
And now what?
I sense this is just the beginning of a new path in my professional journey, where I start to produce and create contents to share. I am in a deep reflection on how to continue on this path, maybe repeat this talk in other events, maybe tranform this in to some videos, maybe start to write a book.
Curious to know if you ever prepared a speach. If so, What did you do after the great day?
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