Transformational Speaking in Santa Fe – AKA the art of Being Seen

Here’s me giving my talk at the recent Brave Girl Symposium. I spoke a little bit about the experience over here, and it continues to inspire me long after the event ended.

A couple of weeks after giving my talk at Brave Girls, I had an amazing opportunity to attend a four day intensive/immersion program with world renowned transformational speaker and teacher, Gail Larsen, in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

Here’s the thing. Speaking to larger audiences (and writing, too) has been a long time whisper of mine. Many many years ago, a dear friend sent me Gail’s book (highly recommended), but even just reading her book made me afraid. Afraid of speaking. Of stage nerves. Of my gremlins. Of being seen.

Being seen. That’s the biggest fear of all. I’m quite cozy over here in my world. I love making art. I love being behind the screen, writing for this blog. But stepping out in front in any public capacity is a big edge for me.

And that’s how I know it’s worth pursuing. Anything that scares us yet consistently whispers and urges us to make a move is something worth listening to. 

SO.

I signed up for Gail’s four day Transformational Speaking Immersion in Santa Fe, NM and off I went, taking one big giant step toward my scary edge of speaking and Being Seen. Prior to leaving for this particular trip, the weeks before it had been packed to the brim  in the department of Doing Things That Scare Me. (There was the launching of Kelly Rae Unscripted, speaking in front of 500 gorgeous souls for the Brave Girls Symposium, putting on a big party for my ten year biz anniversary). This particular adventure with Gail seemed like the perfect bookend to a month that had reignited my Possibilitarian heart. Besides, the lovely Beth Kempton was going with me in this final July journey and she makes everything better. 

Within hours of arriving in NM, I found not one…….

but TWO giant heart clouds. I took it as a message from the universe that I was on the right path.

The four days with Gail and the other five women who attended were powerful, long, important days in my life journey. In many ways, I got my ass kicked, and I mean that in all the best ways.

I was WAY out of my comfort zone and squarely inside my edge and fear of Being Seen. There I was with five super confident, powerful women, standing up in front of them, sharing stories (totally unscripted and unrehearsed speaking!), ON CAMERA, while being coached by the brilliant Gail. We spent days doing this while also distilling through conversation, writing, prompts and more, precisely what our Original Medicine is that we give to the world.

There was so much soul work. Mind-bending work. Brain work. Heart work.  So potent. Hard. Scary. Real. Vulnerable. Uncomfortable. Healing. And ultimately so so beautifully divine and good. I was cracked open into my stuff. My stuff. My messy Why Can’t You Take Up The Space You Deserve stuff. 

This was me after giving my grand finale speech after several days of some of the hardest, yet worth it, work I’ve done in a long while. Can you tell I was elated, beaming, proud? I was, I really was.

The work that Gail led us through was deep, surprising, and revealing. What a powerful woman she is. For those of you thinking about stepping into transformational speaking, I cannot recommend her enough. You will get worked. But you will SHINE when it’s all over. And you will be CLEAR about your message and how to deliver it in a powerful, transformational way. And what’s more beautiful than the gift of clarity?

People call Gail the midwife of the soul. And that is exactly how I would describe her and also how I would describe the experience of working with her: you are working so hard to birth something that is deeply beloved and a part of you.

These are the powerful, amazing women I shared the experience with. We’ve witnessed one another’s medicine and hard earned breakthroughs.  I am so grateful! These ladies are powerful forces for GOOD. Angels….

I’m curious how this experience will continue to unfold for me. I now KNOW I can give a powerful speech that is 100% unrehearsed, unscripted, yet comes from my Original Medicine, the place where my wisdom resides and where I know why I’m here.

So, friends, if you have any speaking opportunities for me, let me know. I’m ready. Open. Willing. And ready to Be Seen.

XO