For the First Time Since 2020
For the first time since February 2020, I got to be back with my National Speaker Association (NSA) family. I’ve just returned from Nashville TN, where I attended NSA Influence 2022.
How wonderful to be with speaker colleagues and friends. We laughed and cried. Hugged and caught up on our last two years.
On the second day of the conference, I joined some of my peers at the front table smack dab in the middle of the banquet room. A group of us chose that spot to cheer on our fellow NSA’er Brandon Farbstein as he took the main stage that morning.
Later, we had a session called Fear Less, Create More. Laura Camien and Susan Blackwell from Spark File said:
“Think of a song with lyrics that makes you feel something.”
“Need a Volunteer”
I am one of those #weirdos who loves to volunteer. I’ve volunteered to be a hot seat speaker many times over the years in this organization and I’ve been coached by the best of the best.
Then, Laura says “We are going to need a volunteer, someone who might not mind sharing the lyrics of the song on stage and perhaps is having a visceral reaction in their body to that request.
At that moment, all I could think was… “I don’t sing. No, I wouldn’t want to do that. DON’T PICK ME!” I’m even sure I was trying to look away when I heard Susan say, “You in the pink jacket.” She was pointing right at me.
On the Stage
As I ascended the stage, my heart was pounding. Thinking, “Oh, they are going to ask me to sing on stage in front of 800 speakers.” AND I don’t even know the lyrics, it was just a song I’d loved when I’d helped organize a mother-daughter retreat when my daughter was in high school. It was our theme song and the memory sparked joy when I remembered.
They were so calming.
They asked me to share what I was feeling, “My heart is racing, my legs feel shaky, but my feet feel grounded.”
They taught a square breathing technique helping us to lean into our parasympathetic nervous system.
“How are you feeling now Linda?”
“My heart is still racing but it’s much slower.”
I also mentioned that my butt cheeks were tightly clenched which just might be the funniest thing I’ve ever admitted on stage. Finally, since I couldn’t fully remember the lyrics, they told me just to share what I could remember.
I said, “Be Brave.”
“Again, louder!”
Susan told the crowd to reply, “We Love it, Keep Going!”
Moments of the Conference
There were dozens of seemingly perfect synchronistic moments at this conference. Cy Wakeman, Allison Massari, Joe Mull and Amelia Mimi Brown and others hit home.
There was also bravery and authenticity showcased by my fellow speakers. It showcased the epitome of what our organizations stand for, supporting each other as we develop our skills as professional speakers, creating a community of peers, and building a bigger pie.
I’ve come home with a growing vision for my kind work and special memories all because I was invited to be brave.
The mantra we were invited to use, affirming ourselves is, “I am a strong creative conduit and it’s all tolerable.” If you’d like to take part in the conversation about the NSA Influence 2022 conference, join us on LinkedIn.
