• Overcoming My fear of Public Speaking

    From a girl who grew up in Pretoria , and used to walk home from school in her brown school shoes , to a women who is now writing this blog post from the business class lounge at Munich airport wearing beautiful brown leather boots.

    liezel_giraffe_in_the_city_overcoming_fear_of_speaking

    My career started out as an announcer walking through the shopping aisles of a big supermarket chain announcing the in store specials , now I am walking around some of the most amazing places in the world. Not only as a Television presenter but as a speaker and Master of Ceremonies as well. #KiwiWearYourPride

    liezel_speaker

    The journey to here has been a long road with many challenges and hills that I have climbed along the way. #KiwiWearYourPride

    What many people do not know about me is that as a youngster I was terrified of public speaking. As a student, I knew I needed to do something to grow and overcome this fear which was holding me back.

    I couldn’t even stand up in front of my class to do a presentation. So I joined toastmasters to help me overcome my Glossophobia (my speech anxiety) . Toastmasters is a non-profit organization developing public speaking and leadership where Members learn how to lead meetings, listen, evaluate and communicate.

    Little did I know that by making this change in my life, and by overcoming my fear,that it would steer my life onto this course.

    I remember my first speech infront of many experienced speakers and I even remember what shoes I wore that day. I wanted to stand up wearing a pair of comfortable smart shoes so I borrowed my sisters navy pumps.

    I was nervous, shaking and my palms were so sweaty. I had spent weeks practicing infront of the mirror to give a 3 minute speech about myself . Toastmasters requires that your first speech is about yourself which they say is an easy topic. I stood up there and spoke my heart out. It did feel like a lifetime but was in fact just under 3minutes. My first speech was done and dusted.

    I felt an incredible sense of pride knowing that I was doing something to overcome my fear. I was conquering my phobia. I have carried on with toastmasters for many years and still to this day attend meetings in order to grow as a speaker.

    #KiwiWearYourPride

    Now as I leave Munich to headback to Cape Town, before flying to Bali to act as a Master of Ceremonies for a conference, I reflect back on my life and my sense of pride. Turning a fear into something that allows me to earn a living a travel the world.

    #KiwiWearYourPride

    liezel_van_der_westhuizen_speaker_master_of_ceremonies_liezelv

    *disclosure: Sponsored post

    Follow:
    Share: