Maybe I should learn to juggle?

Last week I attended the National Speakers Association annual conference. For those non-speakers reading this, it’s likely exactly as you picture (and hear) it.? Loud. Oh, so very loud. Lots of flashy clothes (many, many sparkles). Business cards and books being exchanged.

Hugs. Oh, so many hugs.

I loved every minute, but if you’re feeling my energy, you can sense that it’s a lot for someone who leans introvert over extrovert!?

What I wasn’t expecting were the jugglers. And magicians.

It seemed at every turn there was another speaker juggling. Or riding a unicycle. Or juggling while riding a unicycle.?

As I was sitting in this very loud, stimulating environment, the word that kept creeping into me was: impostor.?

Welcome to my thought spiral...

What was I doing here? I don’t do magic. I don’t juggle. I don’t ride a unicycle. I certainly don’t juggle while riding a unicycle.?

Maybe that is why I’m not on more stages. It’s because I don’t juggle. And I don’t do magic. Perhaps if I had spent time on these skills, I would have more flair and pizzazz to offer in my presentations and I’d be on ALL of the big stages ALL of the time.

Yeah, that is definitely it.?

Once I returned home and resumed to normal life, a more realistic and important realization hit:?

I juggle.

I do magic.?

Every. Single. Day.

I manage to get up, work out, cook food, walk the dogs, create content, drive kids around, lead meetings, serve clients, drive kids around, volunteer for school and community events, market and sell my services, drive kids around, speak on virtual and actual stages, manage complex projects, foster meaningful relationships, pay the bills, clean the house, and the list goes on.?

Every. Single. Day.

MAGIC!?

JUGGLING!??

Join me in giving YOURSELF credit for the MAGIC and JUGGLING you do every day!? The next time you are sitting in a crowded room wondering why you are there, give yourself credit for showing up, stepping out and being you. At the end of the day, that’s what matters. If you throw in a few tricks now and then, that’s up to you!??

THAT is what I talk about on stage. You being you. You rediscovering and reclaiming your true essence. In the past five years, I’ve delivered this message to over 100 audiences around the world. I'm not an impostor. You simply won’t see me juggling while riding a unicycle on a stage anytime soon - or likely - ever.?

As an aside, the guys who do magic and juggled are outstanding performers and humans. One such performer is a fellow speaker from Ohio who was inducted in the the Speaker Hall of Fame (yes, such a thing exists.) Congrats Jon Petz, CSP, CPAE ! Two others led the youth conference attended by my daughter and made the experience magical for her. I am grateful for each of them.?

As for me, I will keep doing magic and juggling my own way.?

My favorite part of the conference was participating in both a keynote and workshop experience with Brian Biro - America's Breakthrough Speaker - a remarkable motivator and human. He had all 750 participants break boards in the ballroom - even the kids participating in the youth conference.? Here is the footage of my board breaking experience.??

What you don’t see is the guidance Brian provided beforehand to set us up for success. You can see the amazing support and guidance the board holder - in my case a terrific speaker / coach and now a new friend Laurie Maddalena CSP, MBA, CPCC - provided. She made all the difference in my ability to break through!??

What magic are you going to make happen today?? How are you going to enjoy the juggling routine in your life????

Thank you for reading this article. I draw on my experiences as a coach, author and speaker, as well as my roles of wife, daughter, mother, sister and friend to create content on meaningful connections and living authentically. I recently documented my 6-month Quest to "Shed the Heavy" and invite you to subscribe and follow along as I continue my progress. Other work that might be of interest: 52 Weeks of Meaningful Connections and my bestselling book Let Her Out: Reclaim Who You Have Always Been.