Last week, I led a communication skills/public speaking workshop for a group of consultants. I’ve led the workshop before, and I love doing it whenever I get the chance.

People are often surprised to find out that I suffer from intense anxiety every single time I lead a workshop or speak in front of people, but I always tell them that this is the case!

I used to be ashamed of this aspect of my personality, and I thought I had to hide it in order to be a good workshop leader. Now, I tell my participants about it so they know that anxiety doesn’t have to stop them from being effective speakers.

It’s a small example of how being my imperfectly perfect self has helped others become more comfortable with their own imperfections.

Thanks Tim,
Erek

I’m slowly but surely changing my diet thanks in no small part to your excellent site. I still see wine as my achilles heal, oh and Starbucks classic coffee cake, but I’m moving in the right direction and that’s always the main thing imho.

@ Tom – I agree on that, sometimes I try and hold myself to ridiculous standards. Damn it! Why shouldn’t I stand and drool over the counter at The Cheesecake Factory? I’m a Life Coach not a Saint ;-)

@ JEMi – I don’t think there is any danger of you doing that quite frankly, you know what you’re doing, of that I have no doubt ;-)

I’ve been thinking about this be yourself thing alot lately. I’ve been writing this week behind the scenes drawing upon the purpose of my blog and thinking I don’t want to veer off the road looking at otehr drivers (bloggers) the way I did as a new driver. Scary.

Remaining authentic is important and you can easily undermine this when you calculate what each and every person might think about what you have to say

Thank you for the reminder Tim :)

How can someone that never experiences stress teach us how to better cope with it? I think we have to be somewhat candid with our own struggles in order to motivate people to improve their lives as well. I used to eat SAD (standard american diet) and now I eat whole foods and feel so much better. I still crack and eat some McInflammation or Ding Dungs from time to time…but that is only because I am a human being. Not some deity. Until God upgrades my package, I will just be left to learn from my mistakes and use them as teaching examples for my patients and readers.

Glad to see ya back blogging!

http://kitchentablemedicine.com

When we are coaching we are doing what we love to do so naturally we are going to be up and inspired. So at least in our work coaches have a ball! Yet I was a relationship coach for five years and that gave me absolutely no immunity from choosing another lousy relationship that I had to recently end. As coaches our main advantage is that we self-examine like crazy so we are generally incapable of settling.

I enjoyed reading this post. It resonates a great deal with how I feel about expressing my ideas and views without succumbing to the public opinion. Speaking from our heart with clarity is the true freedom. I’m inspired by your article.

Shilpan

@ Robert – I read your blog as you know and you have some thought provoking stuff and that’s why were here, at least it’s why I’m here!