Welcome to Your Weekly Words with Julie Avis Rogers, where public speaking meets personal flourishing. In these posts (the video and the written transcript below), I’ll share one word to enhance your effectiveness as a public speaker while also giving a boost for your soul! This week’s word is *reset* so let’s dive in!
Today I am going to take you to a place where no one wants to go!..... (Sorry everybody— I promise we won’t stay there long!)
Let’s go into the middle of a toddler MELTDOWN.
As some of you know, I am the proud parent of an almost-5 year old and thus, I’ve spent many hours in the land of meltdowns. And there is one word that has been an absolute game changer for me – and that is RESET.
So here is the scene: It’s bedtime and my child is experiencing some BIG FEELINGS. Maybe he slams a door, throws his toothbrush, rips up his diaper– and soon, both parent and child are completely freaking out. In my case, my patience has gone out the window, my breathing becomes labored, my anger is rising, and frankly, when my body gets into this spiral, nothing good comes out of it.
And then (when I’m lucky!)-- today’s word pops into my mind: RESET!
It is time for a reset.
In the world of meltdowns, a reset can be a brief moment in another room, closing one’s eyes, taking a moment to empathize with all involved, maybe literally putting a hand to the heart, taking some slow breaths, and then re-entering the scene from a more grounded and calm place.
And this idea of a reset is incredibly helpful in situations far beyond meltdowns, tantrums and parenting woes.
Today I want to introduce the idea of implementing a reset for yourself when you are in the middle of a speaking engagement.
When speaking in front of a group of any size, there will be times when you will get off-balance in some way. Maybe you will forget what you were trying to say. Maybe you’ll lose your place in your manuscript. Maybe there will be a question from the audience that you just don’t know how to answer.
One thing is certain: there *will*be times when you will find yourself off-balance and that is absolutely okay. That is why we have the ability to reset.
Your own way of re-setting will be unique to you but I’ll offer a few ideas: When you find yourself in one of those moments where panic might be starting to set in or you’re thrown off course, say the word RESET to yourself then take a slow breath or better yet, 2 or 3 slow breaths — and THEN turn your attention back to the presentation. You may need to do some logistical troubleshooting like finding your place in the manuscript or getting the technology sorted out— but please, take your reset FIRST.
When you first notice something going awry, give yourself that reset. Then you’ll return back to the presentation, back to the audience, back to the task at hand from a far more grounded place.
Reset. Life will throw us off-course. We will lose our balance. Things won’t always go as planned.
And that’s when we’ll know. It’s time to reset.
As 2024 comes to a close, I am sending each one of you my heartfelt wishes for a restful holiday season and a true RESET for you as you close one year and prepare for another. I will be taking a reset of my own over the next couple weeks and I can’t wait to see you again in 2025! This newsletter will be back on Monday, January 13 and I can’t wait to see you then!
Ready for more? Click here to book a free exploratory session with me where we can discuss public speaking coaching or bringing me in to work with your team, organization, or group. Visit my website to learn more about how to become a more confident, authentic public speaker while boosting your personal flourishing along the way!
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