Therapist Erika Hilliard on Shyness and Social Anxiety

On August 29, 2012 The Houston Chronical reprinted a Chicago Tribune article on shyness in people who are single and breaking the bashful barrier.  The article states that behind shyness is extreme self-consciousness.  Shy people constantly worry that others are judging them, and they blame themselves for negative outcomes, so they choose to not do… Read more

Want to Speak like Steve Jobs?

I had never seen Steve Jobs talk before; but after he died, I heard lots of people rave about the way he spoke in public. It seemed like many people thought he was the epitome of a great speaker. Then I began reading his biography Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson. Before even finishing a quarter… Read more

Famous vs Great

Martin Luther King Jr. was quoted as saying, “Not everyone can be famous, but everyone can be great because greatness is determined by service.” Does it seem to you that many of us in America are struggling with a misplaced desire to be famous? Do you harbor a secret wish to have your name in… Read more

The Voice

I must confess I am a bit addicted to performance competition shows like The Voice and American Idol.  I love to see emerging talent shine.  I think my attraction is wishing that I had pursued my singing more fully.  The truth was it was way too scarey to sing in front of groups when I… Read more

Authenticity & Imperfection: Brene Brown’s PBS Show

University of Houston professor,  Dr. Brene Brown debutes The Gifts of Imperfection: Living with Courage, Compassion & Connection on Houstons PBS TV station Channel 8 Monday night November 29th at 7 and 8:30 PM. I hope that Dr. Brown will do for authenticity what Dr. John Bradshaw  did for family systems theory when he aired his PBS programs.  He… Read more

Thanks to Kathy Reiffenstein

Many thanks to Kathy Reiffenstein who writes the popular Professionally Speaking Blog on Creating Confident, Persuasive Speakers!   Kathy wrote a superb review of my book, It’s Your Time to Shine: How to Overcome Fear of Public Speaking, Develop Authentic Presence and Speak from Your Heart.   For many valuable ideas on public speaking, visit… Read more

Being Genuine and Being Authentic

Beverly Dracos, a writer for business communications and owner of Genuine Communications.com, astonished me with her understanding of the use of words “authenticity” and being “genuine.”  Bev loves language and has made a serious study of the meaning of various words that relate to genuineness. I have always used authentic and genuine interchangeably, but Bev… Read more

Persuasion a La Aristotle

I just read a great series of articles by Andrew Dlugan of Six Minutes Blog fame.  Andrew has reminded us that Aristotle wrote the definitive work on what it takes to be persuasive over 2300 years ago. He defines the three aspects of persuasion, Ethos, Pathos and Logos. Then he writes an article about each… Read more

Outer Presence for Speaking – A Power That Others Sense

Presence is also an external quality that others sense and to which they respond.  Other people perceive your presence as a magnetic force and they are drawn to you, because presence is actually a radiation of psycho-physical energy emitted from your body.  It is your life force emanating from your body, and it occurs when… Read more

Presence for Public Speaking is a State of Integration

  The opposite of stage fright is presence, the powerful state of being integrated.  When you are integrated, all of your human energies, physical, mental, emotional and spiritual, are working together, with no part of you split off or dis-integrated.  You are connected to your whole Self*, and able to express yourself fully.  Athletes know… Read more