Wendy OHanlonHello again, and welcome to my second column with Holistic Bliss magazine as a Very Important Contributor (VIC) focusing on the art of public speaking.
My Holistic Speaking with a Smile public speaking workshops have evolved over the years to include a range of modalities (not just ‘speaking proper’) to help you grow as a very confident public speaker on stage and on screen.
The popular word is ‘confident’, ‘confidence’… but I like to kick it up a notch and call it ‘owning the stage with attitood’… confidence splashed with style and sass.
If you remember the 1994 Disney movie ‘The Santa Clause’, viewers were introduced to a specialist team of elves (Effective Logistics Firm Specialists – ELFS) who were proud of being known as ‘elves with attitude’ (pronounced ‘attitood’ in their accent).
My cheeky fly character in my illustrated children’s book ‘The Fly’ has ‘attitood’ 
He buzzes around and owns the pages!
Now, I’m not suggesting that you strut the stage like a peacock with an aloof arrogance. Rather, that you feel the stage or screen is your comfort zone, your place to shine and that the message you want to share will be eagerly and warmly received by your audience.
As an author, entrepreneur, specialist, or workshop host, your audience is your friend. Not there to tear you down but to lift you up. Many times, the audience will include your family, friends and colleagues who genuinely and actively want to see you succeed in your chosen career. Many times, your audience will be people who are truly interested in the product you are offering and really do want to know more.
They really do want to connect with you. So approach your time to shine with ‘attitood’ – you do have something special to share andI am very happy to have this chance to do so.
One of my favourite poets is the late-great American educator and activist Maya Angelou – and my favourite poem of her’s is ‘Still I Rise’:
“You may write me down in history
With your bitter, twisted lies,
You may trod me in the very dirt
But still, like dust, I’ll rise.
Does my sassiness upset you?
Why are you beset with gloom?
‘Cause I walk like I’ve got oil wells
Pumping in my living room.
Just like moons and like suns,
With the certainty of tides,
Just like hopes springing high,
Still I rise…”
Check out some of her performance videos… now that’s sassiness, that’s attitood!
I would love you all to do a little exercise in ‘attitood’ this month. Stand in front of the mirror and talk to your audience. Practice this with various ‘attitoods’ – happiness, explanatory, seriously, friendly, etc, etc.
When you feel ready, gather some family or friends (even four-legged friends) and go through your presentation about your book, the back story of writing it, your product and how you evolved it; your teaching modality and how you have embraced this.
Remember. Not just with confidence and warmth, but with attitood. Have some fun. After all, in public speaking, you have to have fun. That fun spirit is how the audience warms to you. The attitood is how your audience knows that their time listening to you will be truly worthwhile.
My Speaking with a Smile public speaking workshops include modalities such as physical exercise to open your diaphragm for optimal voice and breathing; breath work, sound therapy and other relaxation methods; practical public speaking exercises; one-on-one work – all this and more while working with a small group so as to maximise your workshop experience.
My physical workshops begin on Saturday, March 28, from 10 am to 4 pm at the beautiful Peregian Beach Community House on the Sunshine Coast in Queensland, Australia. Bookings and details available on my website girlwithwords.com
In April, I will be launching my online workshops (5 x one-hour workshops) – again with small groups for maximum effectiveness.
It’s been fantabulous chatting and wishing you all a happy Fire Horse new year. 
Lyndi MacRae
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