True self-expression: Luxury or necessity?

1 May 2017 I have been back in Cape Town for a week now after a very rich trip down to Australia for the Gold Coast Fall in Love with Presenting. Because I’d had a number of significant challenges over the last few months and a lot of things came to a head in the days before I was due to leave, I seriously considered cancelling the trip.  After I heard from participants how committed they were, and ready, and enthusiastic, my mind was made up and to the airport I went. In hindsight, what a brilliant decision that was!

COMING OF AGE

This was the first #FILWP that ran from 9am to 9pm on Day 1 and Day 2, and it worked, absolutely. Hosting the event (and all future #FILWP events) in a smart hotel where all the catering was done for us, worked, absolutely. Introducing new exercises to the group, worked absolutely. It was almost as if #FILWP had, after 3 courses, come of age.

BEYOND PRESENTATION SKILLS

As with every course, the participants told me again and again (and again) that the course was about so much more than presentation skills.  (read more reviews here) I agree. (and I’m considering a new tag line that simply says ‘Beyond Presentation Skills’.)

YOUR WELL-BEING

If you do not present well (or at all) for whatever reason, and expressing yourself or your message to the full in a way that is natural, feels good is is fun, then the way I see it, that deeply affects your sense of self-worth and well-being.  It undermines your confidence, and spontaneity, which makes it even harder to even contemplate getting yourself ‘out there’. How on earth can you be truly happy if you cannot express yourself in a way that feels good to you and those that you communicate with? Exactly! #FILWP helps you to find your voice.

IT TAKES COURAGE

More than once I had tears in my eyes as I witnessed the participants challenge themselves to break through their ‘stuff’ – again and again and again. The safe environment helped, of course, as did my compassion, and gentle (yet persistent!) facilitation experience and skill, but ultimately, each of the participants had to dig deep and decide whether they wanted to keep making their fears more important than their dreams. And, one by one, each and every one of them chose wisely, and delivered their final presentations in the most beautiful, powerful, authentic) ways. You’re right – it’s NOT easy; it takes immense inner strength and courage; that’s why most people won’t do it and would rather stay small, complain, or both.  That’s why most people will keep suppressing their message, their voice and themselves – and pay the price. Paradoxically, as hard as it was to get there, many commented on how fun and easy it was once they ‘got’ what presentation was really about;  of course it is!

IT DOES NOT HAVE TO BE THAT WAY

#FILWP is proved to work, and I’m assuming that you’re browsing this site for a reason, right? (I didn’t make you do it!) So then, here’s the question:  what are you still waiting for?  For when you have more money or more time | the kids have left home, or some other reason, story or excuse? Waiting’s not going to get you there. Taking action might, don’t you think? Join me at the next #FILWP.  Like me, with the wisdom of hindsight you’ll look back to it and see that it was a brilliant move on your part.

UPCOMING #FILWP EVENTS

All details here https://fallinlovewithpresenting.com/events