Public Speaking is a Vocal Growth Journey

The fear of public speaking is very real, and many writers have let it get in the way of their writing, of all things! We need to remember that the path of a speaker is a journey of personal and vocal growth.

Imagine this…

For as long as you can remember, you have felt a calling (or a soul-y nudge) to share your story with the world and put your voice out there.

You know that you have something worth sharing, and you also know that it’s just as important for your own healing and growth.

That nagging voice, though, gets into your head, reminding you that it’s one thing to write, but isn’t that just a copout? How can you share your story with the world and be seen as legitimate or listen-worthy, when you can’t string words together effectively? When the words that come so easily in writing freeze somewhere between the back of your mind and your larynx?

You watch TED talks and listen to podcasts and feel completely overwhelmed at the thought of being the speaker.

What if you you write something that people read suddenly you are asked to appear somewhere and – horror – speak?

Does this sound familiar? It does for me. Every. Single. Day.

This is just one more way that the ever-annoying imposter syndrome swoops in to sabotage you. After all, that piece of work has been sharpening its roadblocking skills since the day that teacher asked you to answer a question in grade two, or your greatest frenemy in high school told you that your drawing of the eye was not realistic.

Well, I’m here to tell you about the day that limiting belief got a hearty kick in the pants. It wasn’t a huge shift, but enough of an “a-ha” moment to get my action muscles flexing.

The thanks go to prolific author Elizabeth Gilbert, with business guru Marie Forleo in the supporting role.

Elizabeth Gilbert, the esteemed author of books such as “Eat Pray Love” and “Big Magic”, openly spoke about her preference for writing over speaking. (Side note here: add both of these books to your reading or audiobook listening list. They are a must for anyone wanting to shed the armour blocking their creative spirit).

In the interview, Gilbert discusses writing as her go-to form of communication, the vehicle through which her most authentic voice shines. She explains that her journey as a speaker happened as a necessary development in her journey rather than personal choice.

“I had to learn how to speak,” Liz admitted. Her first appearance on a stage saw her with a written speech that she read verbatim from a piece of paper, head down and unengaged.

To see and hear her in action now, you would never think that she struggled in the beginning. We’d all be forgiven for thinking she was a naturally gifted public speaker who never had a fear in the world of her words faltering or coming out wrong.

In all honesty, a feeling of calm washed through me, and a little light of hope lit up inside somewhere for my own verbal skill development. It helped me put everything into perspective and kill that little sabotaging voice.

Even if I never have to speak in public, even if this blog is only ever read by 5 people, the part of me that saw the speech obstacle and bowed down to doubt disintegrated pretty quickly.

After all, if Elizabeth Gilbert can handle writing as her primary method of communication and still grow to become the engaging and authentic speaker she is today, there is hope for me and all the other introverted, writing focussed peeps out there!

It’s okay to want to write rather than speak. More than okay. Writing is art, and wonderful for delivering well-considered, detailed concepts and musings. A regular writing practice has the potential to heal on a huge scale. I even prefer it in personal relationships. It’s so much easier to explain my feelings and express myself through an email or letter. I’d love to be able to speak with the same clarity and eloquence one day, and now that I know it’s a skill to develop rather than a talent to either celebrate or aggrieve, my shoulders feel a little lighter and my head feels clearer.

So, journey on, write away and make your words count. When the opportunity arises to take on the challenge of speaking, grasp it knowing that your life doesn’t depend on it, and you don’t need to be perfect, a natural orator, or even just a “good enough” public speaker.

Are you a writer that feels drawn to put your words out there and see where they land? Not sure whether you should go for snack-size blogs or articles, or knuckle down and push out a book? Check out my article “Blog or Book? How to Choose Your Delivery.”