Yesterday was the most nerve-racking day of the year for me.
A month or so ago, I received an email from a former professor, asking me to speak at COMM Day at the University of Central Florida in a break out session about blogging and social media. I was apprehensive at first, but since I’ve done some public speaking about blogging and social media before, I said yes.
A week or so later, I got a follow-up email asking me to be the keynote speaker at the event. Talk about nerves!!! All of my previous public speaking experience related to the blog has been in a panel or Q&A format, so I was really nervous about being a one-woman show and speaking on my own for 30 – 45 minutes. I said no, explaining that I wasn’t sure I was up the the challenge and that I didn’t want to let her down.
Then I got another email from my former professor. (I should note that I think the world of this professor and actually interned for her husband in college. So I basically love their whole family. Oh, and she’s a writer. A very talented, persuasive writer.) She told me she believed in me, outlined talking points for my speech and asked me again.
I said yes.
And then the nerves really kicked in!
Yesterday I gave my first keynote speech and I survived. Thank goodness!
I felt the most enormous rush of relief when it was over. I also left time for Q&A at the end of my speech and was afraid I’d hear crickets, so I am very grateful to everyone who raised their hand and kept the conversation going. It was unnerving, fun, exciting and a thrill. And I’m so glad it’s over! Phew!
An added bonus of attending COMM Day yesterday is that I got to hang out with my best friend Laurel for a few hours. She works at the college and attended the event and it was great to see her! (I’ll be back in Orlando next weekend for her bachelorette party. Woop!)
Now I’m off to a different college, the College of Central Florida, to set up for the Taste of Ocala tonight. See ya later!
Question of the Morning
- What is one of the most nerve-racking experiences you’ve had in your life?
- What was the last thing you did that took you out of your comfort zone?
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