Big Blend Champagne Sundays

Here’s the truth. I’m a bit nervous about tomorrow’s interview. 800,000 is a large number of listeners. I’ve never faced a crowd like that before, even if I won’t have to face them, just talk on the phone/radio. I’ve had two preparatory events, the ReachOut.com interview last week and the MAGPI workshop the week before. I did a practice interview with my publicist (nothing like a run-through – as hard as they can be to do) too. I’ve faced 500 in an audience a number of times before at conferences in my day job for an hour and a quarter a shot, leading workshops. I’ve presented workshops hundreds of times.

But this is about me and my book, something personal, scary to talk about. The butterflies are fluttering.

I’m used to it from my day job but you never really get used to it. Let me say that differently. The anxiety and nervousness never goes away but it does become more manageable.

Manage-able.

I teach public speaking in my day job and I talk about managing nervousness and anxiety. I have to use my own advice.

Breathe – alternate nostril breath works wonders (a yogic pranayama technique).

Yoga practice, with movement, with the breath. Slow sun salutations. Warrior poses held for 3-5 breaths. Throat opening poses like Ustrasana/Camel to open the throat chakra (home of voice and creativity).

Self-talk (a favorite). I tell myself I can do it. I’ll do well. I will succeed. It sounds silly but it’s a powerful tool. I have enough negative self-talk running through my mind so I counter it with my own positive self-talk.

Meditation to give me practice focusing. To still the waters of my mind before it all begins. Twenty-minutes. To center. To ground. To calm.

This is my preparation.

Believe it or not I’m really looking forward to it. It kicks off my week of publicity and Book Expo.

Breathe.