Dear ,
You might notice this email isn't 'dressed up' as usual! I had a few frustrations with my email software and wanted to tear my hair out a few times yesterday. SO, I decided to keep it simple this time, else my perfection-tendency
would keep me from sending it out at all.
Do you do that, too, sometimes? Want something to be PERFECT or not at all?
We learn things in childhood like "If it's worth doing, it's worth doing perfectly..." and others like "What will the people think if its not perfect?" - or worse "If I'm not doing it perfectly, people won't love me..."
Well, guess what.... today I'm
giving myself the opportunity to do something 'unperfect' (that's my new word) - sending this email with virtually no frills, bells or whistles.... just 'being myself with no make-up', so to speak.
And, actually, that was the topic for this newsletter, too! Isn't life perfectly showing us what we most need to embrace??
I had a whole wonderful email prepared about spring in England, a little article, and a final,
last reminder for "Fall in Love with Presenting for Introverts" - and you're getting the 'unedited' version of me, instead.
So yes - spring IS showing up in England in a delightful way. They're calling it a 'heatwave' here, which has my South African genes giggle a bit. It's going to be 28 Degrees Celsius today, which is very warm for this time of year! The image above is from my walk in our nearby park yesterday. I still want to learn about
all the new flowers that I encounter here.
I know in the southern hemisphere autumn is on the doorstep, with cooler late-afternoons and evenings, and chilly mornings. Whichever season you're in - may you feel energized and inspired to live your life the way that brings you joy.
As I was saying about perfectionism... and it preventing us from doing something at
all....
For many introverts, the fear of doing something 'wrong', doing it less than 'perfectly', making mistakes or trying to emulate someone else they admire, can be a complete showstopper. In other words - we don't even TRY whatever it is we yearn for, because we fear rejection, humiliation or embarrassment so much. (I do know this is pretty universal - extroverts, introverts, ambiverts.)
I very much get
it. I felt it yesterday! I had a bad case of it for many years, where it came to showing up with my work, as well. Particularly where it came to presenting talks about my work, or workshops. The fear was nasty and so unpleasant.
On the one hand I knew I needed more skill to feel comfortable, and on the other, I knew it was an emotional issue. I set out to put myself on a different path last year and attended brilliant workshops by my friend Bennie Naude, to
gain those missing skills AND build confidence and calmness.
The result, , is that I am now hosting my own Introduction-versions of Bennie's excellent workshops. I aim my versions specifically to help introverts overcome the awful fears about speaking in public. Those fears that stop us from saying 'yes' when someone asks us to do a talk or presentation, or when we have even the inkling of a thought about being
visible or showing up anywhere more public than in a group of two!
If you'd like to be more comfortable and CALM when you do a presentation (corporate or for your own work), please read on. There is only 1 more space available for the first ever "Fall in love with Presenting for Introverts"!
