25. Public speaking & finding your voice with Debbie Jacob
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If you are an introvert, public speaking can be quite the challenge.
But, what if you have public speaking anxiety or social anxiety? The challenge can be even higher because those anxieties can feel like a real physical barrier to showing up and speaking up.
In the latest episode of The Vibrant Introvert, Debbie Jacob shares a pivotal public speaking experience after many years of avoiding any forms of public speaking. As hard-core introvert, Debbie says she’d spent most of her life very comfortable with quiet and solitude. She rejoiced in activities like writing because she that’s what made HER feel the most in her element.
Over time, as Debbie began to write more, author books, and become an influential advocate for police reform in her Trinidadian community…public speaking opportunities began to flow in despite her best efforts to avoid them at all cost. Though she didn’t ask for those opportunities they came anyway along with her rising passion for working with incarcerated youth in Trinidad’s prison systems.
Listen to how she finally pivoted toward and embraced public speaking opportunities after a pivotal moment giving a commencement speech to a group of Muslim girls. Throughout her story we learn how she utilized some of the processes of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy to turn toward these opportunities to speak rather than turn away:
Learn how she:
Initially engaged in extreme forms of experiential avoidance
Finally let go of her resistance to public speaking
Connected to her audience during speaking engagements
Engages in willingness and acceptance when she speaks in public
How she has changed her relationship with public speaking because of her values
How she made a shift from avoidance to willingness in public speaking
In the episode you can choose to practice your own type of shift by engaging in an exercise with me involving this idea of willingness and connection. In this exercise we practice this idea of “being willingly out of breath” while also connected to a valued speaking opportunity.
Join in on the conversation!
Learn how to show up and speak up
During the episode I talk about my service, Coaching for Vibrant Introverts. Check out my service if you are a professional woman introvert struggling with self-doubt and social anxiety and who desires to make your own transformations. My clients come to me so they can do the work of showing up, speaking up, being authentically present, and desire to make changes in their lives from a place of vibrancy.
Learn more and schedule a free 30-minute consultation.
Find me on Instagram @actinspiredbehavior
About our Storyteller
Debbie Jacob is an author, former teacher and librarian, a columnist, an advocate for prison reform, and a resident of Trinidad. She is the author of books such as Wishing for Wings (stories of incarcerated youth in Trinidad & Tabago) and Making Waves (How the West Indies shaped the United States) as well as other children’s books. She is a self-described introvert and when she’s not writing or helping others, she is enjoying the company of her local Trinidadian police dogs!
If you wish to read Debbie’s article mentioned in the podcast episode, click here to read Finding My Voice in Newsday.
Check out her website www.debbiejacob.online or email her at debbiejunejacob@gmail.com
