Public speaking

Tonight as part of our normal Friends of the Library Board meeting, we also had a meeting with the branch managers of the various library branches. As part of this meeting we gave them an overview of what we’ve been doing and working on. Since we should have the website launched sometime in late June, assuming everything comes together as needed, I got to do a little 5-minute presentation about the site, and show off a couple of screenshots of the design, etc.

It went well, there were a couple of good questions and I think everyone came away with a pretty good idea of what the site will be like, and will be excited to have it live. I’m glad, but on a personal level, as a naturally introverted person even those 5 minutes take a lot out of me. I had to mentally prepare myself to get up and speak to that many people (there were about 50 people there), plan out what I needed to say, etc. Some of the other people who did short presentations are much more naturally gifted public speakers, and I’m sure they really don’t have to do the mental preparation I do, or feel nearly as tired as I do after the fact. Sometimes I really envy them. On the other hand, this is who I am, and I can be proud that even though this isn’t easy for me, and doesn’t come naturally, I have worked hard at being a good public speaker and can do it well when called upon.

As a survivor, I need to focus more on being proud of what I am and what I do, and less on envying what others have or do, so I’m taking that proud attitude to bed with me. 🙂