The other day, I was talking with a friend. She’s sharp, articulate and lovely inside and out. She’s successfully built multiple businesses and has a wonderful family. And she’s also a woman who pushed her way through terrible trauma and emerged stronger on the other side. She has a story of survival to share. She found wisdom through the process. The kind of wisdom that can provide practical help for other women who are going through a challenging time.
But she wonders what so many women wonder: Is my story worth sharing? Can it make a difference for someone else? Can I make a difference for someone else? Do I have what it takes to pursue public speaking?
If you have a story burning inside you, I believe sharing your story through public speaking is the path to the meaning and impact you were made for.
I believe we all have stories worth sharing. And that the stories we’ve lived are gifts. These gifts are full of opportunities to learn and grow–even in circumstances we’d never wish for.
When we share those stories and what we’ve learned, we create meaning from mess. Goodness from grief. Legacy from loss.
If you have a story to tell and wonder if you’re right for public speaking, there’s a fast and simple way to know if you’ve got what it takes. All you need is to score a perfect 100% on this short checklist. Let’s see how you do.
#1 – You’re alive.
If you’re a human being on this planet and have been around for more than a minute, it’s pretty likely you’ve lived stories. You’ve been on this journey for a while, and you’ve experienced joy and pain. Love and loss. Triumph and failure. I’ve never seen anyone make it through this life unscathed. The odds of you not having experienced a story worth sharing are slim. If you can say “yes” to #1, you have lived stories worth sharing.
#2 – You have a brain.
If you remember the stories you’ve lived, you have a brain that’s been storing them. You’ve kept mental files of your experiences and what you’ve learned or earned along the way. If you look for them, there are lessons in every story of life. These lessons have taught you wisdom that you can share with other people who need to know what you’ve learned. You’ve been paying attention and mining the gifts, opportunities and possibilities you can find in even the most trying times when you care to look for them. You have lived stories, and you’ve filed them in your internal hard drive. That’s “yes” and “yes” to #1 and #2.
#3 – You have a heart.
And not just any heart. You have a heart to serve. To help other people. Deep inside, you feel a nudge to use your story and all you’ve learned to help someone else along the way. You want to use what you experienced and make your story matter and have greater meaning by using it to impact other people’s stories in a positive and lasting way. You feel the weight of the divine assignment you’ve been given to be of service. And you long to serve by sharing your story to help someone else through their story. Can we give #3 a “yes”, too?
My guess is you scored a perfect 100%. You wouldn’t be reading this blog if that weren’t the case, right?
Checking the right boxes is easy. Now the harder question: What will you do with it? You have a story you’ve lived, a mind that’s learned and a heart to serve. Are you ready to go for it?
When you keep your story to yourself, you’re missing out on meaning and impact. And you’re holding back the help someone else needs right this minute as she works to navigate the challenge she’s facing.
Step into your purpose. Step up and share your story. I’m here to help.
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