1994. I didn’t know speaking would change my life. I was standing in front of twenty of my peers getting ready to debate and speak about a secluded rare topic that most high school seniors do not discuss. I was only 17 and three months removed from the most tragic moment of my life. More tragic than losing my mother at 9, more tragic than physical abuse from my father, more tragic than being molested at 10. I was sweating streams down my back and could feel the piercing of the eyes.
My opening statement “One out of every four women in America will be sexually assaulted or raped in their lifetime. Look to your left, your right and in front and behind. Who will it be if we don’t change how society views sexuality, women and the growing rape culture?”
I stood there as the one that had endured a brutal rape that three months before. I had endured the whispers, the comments from my classmates and other students. As I took my stand in the front of this small group in my senior English class my classmates sat with eyes wide and hushed silence. I could only imagine their thoughts as I laid bare my soul and did my report on Rape Culture in America.
How do you overcome your fear of speaking? Speak authentically about a topic NO ONE is willing to talk about. Lay your soul bare and allow for the judgement or ridicule to come of not come. I had no idea that moment I was destined to share my life and stories on stages everywhere teaching people on other continents and creating a life, love and business out of it. I could feel the sweat trickle in lines like ants marching down my spine.
My heart raced harder than when I would sprint 200 yards during track meets. I felt raw and exposed. This experience was the foundation I used to build a business empire dedicated to helping women heal their lives, bodies, and minds and create businesses that flourish from standing in their truth and sharing their vision and purpose with the world.
Following my soul baring speech, I was asked to speak at our graduation ceremony that May as Salutatorian of the graduating class of 1995. I stood in my silky cap and gown awkward and alone. I brought a room full of parents, grandparents, teachers and students to tears with my engaging speech about life and moving forward. Speaking my truth, again. I couldn’t control my emotion as tears streamed down my face believing this moment would heal my pain. It did not. It would be over 15 years before I would risk being in front of audience again or use these experiences of speaking as a gift to share.
RISK. That’s the definitive word for how to overcome your fear of speaking. I spent the next 10 years struggling through eating and exercise disorders, drug abuse, and body image issues. On the outside my world appeared perfect. It seemed I had it all together, but inside I was slowly eating away. I had hidden all my hurt and buried it deep.
In 2009 I hit rock bottom. I had felt the breakdown coming for several years. When you consciously decide that it’s time to heal your life your whole world shifts and the universe conspires to bring you the answers you seek. Standing there that day at the lowest point in my adult life I didn’t know what the next step was but I decided to open my heart, my ears, and my mind and listen for the answers. That moment in 2009, when I lost everything homeless and alone, was the defining moment that would change my life forever.
RISK. Every opportunity, every choice, for the next few years were a risk. I decided to become an entrepreneur for the 2nd time in my life and this business would be based in helping people. My desire to help others was really a true path into finding out how to heal my life and heal my mind and to truly make a change for the better and myself. You can only help others after your first help yourself, work with your own shadow. This was the journey and lessons that I learned when I decided to take this risk and then make a change in my life.
I found the secrets to creating a life I love and a business that would thrive and help women worldwide transform their lives and show healers how to been seen and found. I started opening up. I listened to the whispers of my heart. I began connecting to who I was and listening to my gut and intuition. Then the opportunities started showing up and my voice came back. I had always been a leader, a risk-taker, the one to push the envelope and question everything. I began using those qualities to move my life forward in a healthier and happier way.
By tapping into the universe and my intuitive intelligence I found many programs to deepen my knowledge, intuition and spirituality. In 2001 I took to the stage after a 15 year hiatus. I began with small crowds of one to twenty. I spoke about health in the beginning. I was fearful to share my story. I discovered it was my story that was powerful and once I decided to authentically start sharing about the challenges. I discovered my challenges were solutions for other people. My journey from that small beginning, sweating profusely, nervous and afraid I didn’t know enough using pages of notes to presenting powerful, engaging presentations that transform the lives of those that listen.
In March of 2014 I took another big risk. I decided to host my first conference the Pure BodyLove Retreat. That October, I gathered 15 speakers, healers, doctors and scientists to share emotional, physical, and psychological transformation with nearly 150 people. I spent two entire days on stage training, speaking and playing. I poured my heart, soul and funds into creating this event. Now a few years later, I am in the process of developing our 3rd Annual Conference that will launch the Intuitive Intelligence Academy in March 2017. Through these processes I have learned how to book engagements, find venues, and allow attendees to experience healings. I have tracked as much as $30,000 from one 20 minute intuitive speech and even more from my own conferences.
I now travel the globe speaking at conferences and events and I have been a featured speaker on world-wide tele-summits and shared the stage with amazing transformational leaders such as Dr. John Demartini and Denise Jacobs. I have my first international event in July and I am planning my Tedx talk. My journey to the stage has changed my life and business and touched the lives of women worldwide. I have learned HOW to book engagements all over the world and do transformational work from the stage.
I want to share with you why speaking is the most valuable asset you will ever own and how you can connect with influencers that will put you on their stages. Join me for a free masterclass training and learn to share your message with the world and book 5 speaking engagements in 30 days.
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