As a youth, when elected president of the student council, and in receiving awards for academics and sports, I went beyond a reasonable state of mind, I was terrified! It was required that I stand in front of large groups and give speeches. Oh no!! Double no!! Adjacent photo - receiving MVP baseball award in high school. The queasy stomach; shaky legs; and my mouth, that resisted moving when speaking, was complete torture for me. I would have loved to just disappear, if I had a magic wand. These moments of high anxiety stayed with me through my university years. 

What were my choices? As a young professional starting out in life, part of me never wanted to give a speech, ever again, yet another part of me understood the profound implications of showing up and presenting my message; a plethora of opportunities would be available to me. From that point I was determined to learn from the masters the keys to communication: how to create an attractive personal environment whereby my message would be positively received and others would feel safe and inspired to openly share their truths about life. It was the beginning of understanding the essential nature and importance of presence.

Within many countries have I taught, and from many diverse groups of people have I learned. Through observation, questionnaires, and interviews I have researched and collected a treasure of information regarding effective communication styles. I have organized these golden themes in a simple and easy to understand way that both the novice and the seasoned speaker can draw from. Communication enriches the imagination, and to imagine is a sublime gift of life.