While modern motivational speakers may seem like a relatively new development, models for these contemporary demagogues reach far into history. Across the globe, people gather to listen to their favorite speakers, whether they are political, religious, vocational, medical, or from an array of disciplines. There is something magic about a human connection, when someone similar to everyone in the audience stands up, takes the podium, and lights a room figuratively on fire with their words. One example is my new friend Mary Alice Hill http://speakermary.com/
One of my brothers invited me to hear a speaker where he lives. Why not, I thought, a chance to visit my sibling and hear someone who has sparked his interest. The talk was free, there were about 30 people in a small room, after hours, in a Temecula strip mall. The crowd was excited with eager anticipation, as if the latest rock band was about to take the stage. When the speaker arrived, he was dressed like everyone else, in jeans and tennis shoes, and explained that he was sleep deprived from a long string of talks. For about an hour, without notes, he walked back and forth in front of our group, full of energy and enthusiasm as he unrolled story after story of how to turn discouraging situations into opportunities, how to look up instead of down. Without my having been to the gym, the experience was uplifting to say the least, each face in the room was mesmerized and brightened up by the end of the talk. It turns out that he was a healer of sorts and did his best to do healings on many in the room, with positive effect, even if one person who came in with a cast left with a cast, but healing can take time.
Dr. Edie Egar tells her moving story of being a holocaust survivor who had to dance for the notorious Dr. Mengele, and while she could have withered away her life in bitterness, she has chosen to turn new leaves and gives this life changing message always: "Don't ask 'Why me?' but 'What next?" Challenges to humanity are many, the fact that we can join together in the warm company of other travellers on our journey together, helps our life experience. CNN vice President Wendy Walker engages audiences on tour in support of her new book The Producer. By telling stories of her humble beginnings with colleague and friend Katie Couric, she endears herself to listeners as we learn that those in the highest echelons of television production began with all the same tools that we all have now. The rewards of hard work are infinite. For anyone considering adding public speaking to their repertoire of activities, remember that there are professional coaches available, like Sandra Schrift, who can help shape and focus ideas into a valuable and educational medium. Who does not enjoy hearing lifelong celebrity icons share their stories verbally whether it is at a social event or in a televised interview. Our online culture makes it easy to view talks at any time of the day or night. As long as people craft their histories into talks to be shared with others, and those helpful talks are not silenced, then our human community figuratively keeps holding hands together against the often biased and skewed human dilemmas presented by Hollywood.
-Dr. Bridget McDonald is CEO of the Women's International Center, a composer, and writer.
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Motivational Speaker Mary Alice Hill – Sports Motivational Speakers – A heroine to the Sports community
http://speakermary.com/
