For Writers that want to Speak, from a Speaker that has been told that she can write

Hearing the words Writer and Speaker is something that most people would consider an oxymoron. Ask just about anyone and they would tell you that they stereotypically think of writers as introverted. Most writers would probably tell you that they have at one point have dodged the limelight and public speaking, risking losing opportunities as a writer. There are even writers who have quit writing after a certain point because their fear of speaking in front of an audience is unbearable.

What is most important for you to know is that writers are not alone.  Most people could probably talk for a long time about their own fear of public speaking, after all public speaking is said to be the number one fear, even over death.

Knowing that you could spend a day talking about the fears you have of public speaking - why not risk being different? Be bold and make the decision today to stop talking about your fears and put that energy towards working on the fear! Challenge yourself to step out of your comfort zone and start building your public speaking skills. 

If someone told you that becoming an effective public speaker is something that can be learned by adding a few skills to your bag of tricks and then dedicating yourself to present on a routine basis is what it takes to become a better public speaker, would you take the next step?  

What if you were told that public speaking could be the most effective thing you could do to sell $10,000.00 more worth of your product in one year, would you take the next step? 

Did you know that as a writer you have more public speaking skills than most people do to effectively communicate in front of an audience, are you listening now and would you take the next step?

Now that you are warmed up to the idea of public speaking let me tell you why, as a writer, the most valuable thing you can do it to comfortably use the word Writer and Speaker in the same sentence without a stutter.

Public speaking is the most important skill set a writer can develop and improve for a very successful career. Here’s why.

Authors who are skilled at public speaking…

○Have greater credibility

○Receive wider name recognition

○Build strong rapport with the listener

○Sell books in the back of the room at speaking engagements

○Get paid extremely well (Can you say more money for promotion?)

○Your listener becomes a walking publicity tool

○Expand their network to public speakers who also promote their work

○Have obtained the number one skill needed for a book tour

○Perform very well on television and radio

Is there a need to say more? The answer is always yes if you are a writer and speaker. Let me tell you and show you how you can work on enhancing your presentation skills through a highly interactive workshop designed especially for the writer who is ready to add speaker to their resume. 

Plan on attending the workshop?  Please bring at least a one page sample of your work to share with the group.

About the Facilitator:
Leilani Barkan decided to face her fears of public speaking in 2005.  After first became comfortable in front of a group of 15 familiar and friendly faces her first year as a public speaker.  Leilani, who believes there is always room for improvement, has challenged herself to continually push past her public speaking fears by adding new goals as soon as she finds herself becoming comfortable. 

In 2007, Leilani hosted an educational session "The importance and skills needed to effectively communicate in your interpersonal relationships". 

In early 2008 you would have found Leilani running away from the nightmare of speaking in front of 150 people, today she cannot wait for the next opportunity to speak in front of 150 people.  In 2008, Leilani competed two times in a contest representing northeast Ohio in front of an audience of 150 people.  She placed second in the second competition with her speech "Germus Operandi". 

In 2009, Leilani is planning on placing first in the northeast Ohio speech contest and facilitating a workshop for Writers that are looking to improve their Public Speaking skills.

I have been thinking long and hard about this particular post.  I have taken a sabbatical from LJ for a brief time because I can't tear myself away from Facebook, my life gets busy (as everyone's does) during the holidays and mostly because I have been evaluating how I want to continue with my blog. 

I started this blog almost one year ago, thanks to the suggestion and encouragement of brianohio!  What I have noticed as I have gone along is that I sure do post an awful lot about my own self and my life and somehow that seemed a bit arrogant on my part.

I have finally come to a decision that I will move forward by continuing to document the events that have happened to me along my journey in this life. 

I have found this blog to be so many things:

-A wonderful way to share what I have been doing with myself to family and friends (I encourage my family and friends to do the same).
-A great way to meet new friends that I share similar interests with.
-A way to write and to keep track of the happenings in my life (there is so much we forget along the way).
-A great way to recall events and stories for upcoming speeches and stories
-A way to be to be an example to others - being an example of how you can find happiness and freedom in spite of the circumstances that you are dealt in this life (see more below).  This is what I want my life’s work to be - a way to inspire others to be absolutely the best they can be and find their gifts to this world.

This past year has been the best year of my life - I have pushed myself very far from where I was 3 years ago.  The first 2 years of this journey was a lot of paving the way to lead me to what I have experienced in 2008. 

I have about 7 or 8 rather large circumstances in my life that put me into a place where, as I look back, I was not a happy person.  I have always been happy in my presentation to others, but deep down inside I was very passive about the life I had been GIVEN.  I was hiding from the world - I did not share myself with others because I feared that people would not like who I was. 

Today, I have the life that I WANT and I am the person I am meant to be - and I realize the worst thing I could have done was to continue to let life pass me by.   The past 3 years I have chosen to take the steps I needed to take to be alive, awake and free to sculpt my world.  I am happy to report that I have little to no fear in my life at this point.  I want to be careful here because I would not be this person without the love and support of my dear family and friends and without having a relationship with God. 

My relationship with God has been the biggest occurrence to me in 2008.  Although, I have always been a believer, it wasn't until last year on January 2nd, 2008 that I pronounced to a couple of close friends that I really know what it is to know God.  I have given him control of my life and the most amazing things have happened to me and my life has changed 180 degrees in just one year.  I am so happy I can barely sit still most days.  My enthusiasm and excitement for life is incredibly optimistic and I know that I will be given everything that my heart desires in the future.  This has led me to enjoy life so much more - I have no anxiety, fear and my confidence has increased so much because of this. 

I would like to add some of the significant events that have happened to me this past year.
-I have seen someone that I love who has suffered from mental illness for many years go into a remission that has brought this person back to me. Nothing short of a miracle in my mind.
-I have been given financial opportunities that I would have laughed at last year at this time (I didn't know what being financially comfortable was like).
-I no longer have a need to be in a relationship with a man.  I know that some day I will be with the right person for me and it does not have to happen tomorrow.  Basically, I have filled myself up with everything that I need - nobody has to do this for me and I am not looking for someone to do this for me.
-I am on the right path to becoming what I am supposed to do as my life’s work and I continue to work at becoming the person I am meant to be and what I am here to share.
-My 2008 resolution was to get paid to speak 2 times.  I only got paid to speak once (10.00 - LOL) but I competed 2 times in front of 150 speakers and that was way better than getting paid to do it.  Plus, last year I would have crocked at the thought of speaking in front of 150 people - this year I can't wait to be in front of 150 people again.
-My relationships with my family and friends continue to deepen and enrich my life.

Here is what I am proposing as resolutions for 2009.
-Win at the district level for speaking.
-Start and finish an office in my spare bedroom.
-Write a chapter for a book in January.  Follow thru with an additional chapter each following month.
-Learn how to salsa dance.
-Continue to expand contacts, knowledge and experience to start my own businesses so that I can be self-employed by 2011.

I encourage anyone reading this email to commit to what you want and to search for who you are by starting to wake up every day and realize that the small choices you make absolutely have everything to do with the person you become. You have the power to choose and define who you are! If I can do it, anyone can do it. Share yourself with this world!

The waterfall, Dontambor live somewhere at the top.

Dontambor's living arrangement on top of the waterfall, I believe.


Dontambor's view from the top of the waterfall, I believe.


Another view from the top of the waterfall with Dontambor, I believe.

I am going to email Dontambor and have him check the facts I am assuming here.  Maybe he can give a picture of the view from the top of the waterfall.
 

I returned to my cubical and office yesterday.  You see, I was away for a month.  One week of vacation and 3 weeks on site with my client.  Here is what I found out when I returned:  I missed almost everyone and I have no business being behind a computer.  I have way too much energy and too much to say to be productive in a cube.  That's all I gotta say about that - except I have a major case of aunts in my pants!

Saying goodbye to Yelapa!!!

As we left the Yelapa, I saw the Canadian man that told me about this beautiful piece of land sitting on top of a very large brick wall.  I waved to him from the water taxi but I did not think he would see me.  He did, and gave me a big wave goodbye.  I found this to be very significant!

On our way back to Puerto Vallerta from Yelapa, we finally settled into a much smaller water taxi than we rode out on.  It turns out the larger water taxi finally broke down in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.  For some of the older people on the trip the water taxi ride, on top of getting in and out of the taxi, was very physically challenging.  Everyone settled in for what we hoped to be a safe ride back. 

About 10 minutes into the hour long ride the taxi suddenly stopped.  Two whales were spotted in front of the taxi.  When we heard them say whales we all gasped in awe - we waited for a few moments and the two whales dove around the boat.  Absolutely amazing.  We were very lucky to see these two whales.  I was hoping to just see dolphins, common in the Bay of Banderas.  Whales however, do not swim this part of the ocean this time of the year.  We were there in early Novemeber and the whales don't typically arrive until December to give birth to there young.  Seeing two whales has to go on top of one of the coolest things I have ever seen or experienced in my life.

I did not take pictures of the whales, I would rather witness it.  The amount of time we were able to see the whales was only for one minute.  Imagine how much I would have missed had I tried to grab my camera and take pictures.