Thursday, June 6, 2019

My First Speaking Engagement

Last month I was invited to speak at an event called Love Yourself Boho Brunch put on by Her Elk Grove.  It was my very first time speaking in front of an audience without the support of a panel.  I was really nervous but I figure through discomfort comes growth so I accepted the opportunity.  Here is my experience including my one major regret.

(Photos are courtesy of Cynthia Rodriquez Photography.)  


I practiced my speech time after time to myself and to the mirror.  I practiced in the car and at night before I went to bed.  I lived and breathed this speech and how I could convey such a huge concept such as loving yourself in a 5-10 minute speech.  I wanted to give the attendees value and a takeaway that they could go implement in their life.  I wanted them to be glad that they heard the talk and most of all I wanted to not waste their time because time is the most precious thing we have.

I spoke on how switching from a negative mindset to a positive mindset can literally change your entire life.  Now, I'm not crazy and I don't think that positivity alone can cure disease or anything like that.  But I do believe that when you believe in yourself and when you decide that you are enough, that gives you the strength to fight for what you deserve, to leave toxic situations, and to better your life.  I also believe that pushing away from saying negative things about yourself and shifting to be more realistic is the simplest and most effective way to love yourself.  For example, instead of saying "I look so fat in this shirt" you could say "this shirt is not right for me."  It's generally the same idea but shifts your mindset from being horrible to yourself to simply being realistic.



My hugest mistake for this event was not asking anyone to record my talk.  I have no video of the full thing.  I'm really sad because people asked me to see the whole video and I didn't have one.  If I had thought about it, I could have set up my own tripod and recorded it myself.  That's my biggest regret so if you are speaking or performing at an event, don't forget to ask someone to record it for you!



Overall, it was a great experience and I would speak at this type of event again.  It felt really amazing to hear that my words and story were helpful to other people.  When I entered the lifestyle blogger and influencer realm, I always hoped I would be able to make a difference in the lives of others.  This event gave me immediate feedback that I did just that.

Thank you to Haku and Wine for making me a custom flower haku (crown) for this event!  I love it and still have it in my house as a reminder of this day!




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