100 Episodes! Triple digits, baby!

I honestly didn't think I'd ever make it this far. (You just can't see that far out when you're scrambling to get your content out week in and week out.) But here we are! 100.

I couldn't let this moment pass me by without taking some time to reflect and appreciate the journey.

And I have to say - I've learned a ton. I've met some incredible people. I've had some brilliant (and some dud) conversations! I've had tech issues; I've found new friends; sometimes I've stumbled and sometimes I've shot out of the starting gates.

This show has been a huge part of my life for the last year and a half - and I'm so so so incredibly honored by every single person who has taken the time to find it, share it and be a part of it in big and small ways.

My heart is full! Thank you.

Love,

Sally

Brandy Agerbeck is a graphic facilitator, speaker and expert on helping people put their ideas into a visual form. I’m not talking about pretty slides (although that matters) – I’m talking about structure, function and form – in visuals. I think this is an area not talked about enough – and yet as an audience member it’s crucial for helping make the leap to understanding that much faster. So I was so excited when one of my loyal listeners Jeffrey suggested that I have Brandy on the show! (Thanks, Jeffrey!) Brandy – you are doing such important work – in such a playful and wonderful way!

It's part Three!

If you haven't yet listened to Part One ("I can't wait to share this with them!")

and Part Two ("It is what it is, so I might as well enjoy it.")...

Go for it.

Because Part Three is all about audience. Luckily, focus has been brought to the audience much more in recent years. But this isn't about creating your content so it's relevant for your audience (which is essential, of course).

No - today is about keeping your HEART (and your mind) focused on your audience.

Ultimately, this isn't about you; you are simply - and wonderfully - the conduit for the message. So you can let go of the me-me-me worries. No one is thinking of you quite as much as you are.

The awesome John Noltner (a guest from Season 1) talks about how he found himself as a speaker by reminding himself that he is simply the messenger. It kept the focus on the right thing - the impact we want to have, on the people who are sitting in front of us.

You are there to serve your audience. And that idea should liberate you - free you from the self-focus that can sometimes weigh us down.

When you are interested in and care about your audience - they feel that. And, perhaps more importantly - YOU feel it.

I have done some writing recently about how important it is to get a handle on our internal mindset before we step out on stage. So it was so wonderful to talk with Kenya Pope – an author, speaker, artist and coach - whose mission is to help heart-centered entrepreneurs make money while they make a difference. To eradicate the “starving” artist notion! That is a worthy cause!

And here's what I can tell you about Kenya: she has a beautiful spirit! In our brief time together, we connected through her artistry - her poetry, her singing, her stories. Clearly, Kenya knows how to make an impact. She is unabashedly "woo-woo" - and brings her fascinating and eccentric experience, world view, spirit and love with her in this conversation. It's "woo-woo" - and it's full of life. Enjoy!

(A small warning for those who are sensitive about language: Kenya does use some spirited language a few times... nothing shocking (and I love her spirit!), but probs not for the kids' ears. Fair warning!)

Last week in Part One of this series, we talked about the importance of walking into the room to give a talk with the mindset of "I can't wait to share this with them."

It's about turning your fear into excitement.

And I know it's more complicated than just saying it over and over again in your head, but truly, saying it over and over again in your head helps. Eventually, you convince yourself. (Not unlike those power stances; sometimes we have to trick ourselves into feeling confident.)

Today's mindset - part two - is about embracing the live theater aspect to this awesome work. We need the mindset of "It is what it is - so I might as well enjoy it."

Improv, anyone? Live theater! Who knows what will go wrong, but you can count on something going wrong, and most of the time it's not the thing we expect. How cool is that?! Sometimes, not cool -but guess what? You can't do a darn thing about it.

So - you might as well make the best of it.

When I had the awesome Michelle Evans on the show a few weeks back, she suggested that I connect with Michelle Mazur, my guest on today’s show. The crazy thing is, I had JUST found Michelle organically and was already in the process of scheduling some time with her! I love this small world. Michelle is a “rebel speaker” and presentation coach – meaning that she bucks the trends that are worth bucking (something I always cheer on). Gotta love that. And, she has a passion for encouraging women speakers on the importance and value of the business side of speaking. She is passionate, savvy and though she takes the business of speaking seriously, she doesn't take herself too seriously - something I appreciate.

Let me just point this out right now: Michelle has a Facebook group for speakers that I'm in, and that has been a wonderful way to connect with other speakers who are trying to turn their love of speaking into part of their business. Check it out!

Something that comes up time and time again in my coaching is the idea that this is an emotional journey as much as it is a skill journey. We can learn how to deliver better and differently; we can spend hours upon hours navigating and editing our content until it's lovely and perfect; we can make a killer and beautiful slide deck. But who are we when we step out on "stage"?

Let me be clear: I am not a psychologist. Not even close. But I often help people with all the baggage that comes with us up on stage. And we do indeed bring all our baggage with us up on stage and into rehearsals! Fears, assumptions, myths, old adages and leftover 7th grade scars. Yay! It's all a part of us!

Aside from doing the hard work of dealing with all of that - some of which is beyond my scope as an armchair psychologist/presentation coach, of course -

Well, we can do our best to control the incredibly powerful thoughts that come into our minds.