It’s a piece of advice that I learned from Kim A. Page years ago. In my first training with her, this phrase got carved in stone for me: “the night before your presentation in public, pamper yourself a bit, take the time to bathe in yourself, doing or enjoying something you really like.”
Please note that the advice applies for a public presentation, a meeting where you have a lot at stake or a training in which you have to give your best. In fact, you can use it before any occasion when you want to offer others the best of you, communicatively speaking. It is no nonsense, and from my experience I will tell you why.
One of the sins of youth may be to seek the perfection of external forms. Inexperience or insecurity often lead us to worry so much about controlling everything external in our communication – a perfect PowerPoint, an infallible content structure, a lot of data to support our ideas, etc. – that we are left with no quality time, before D moment, to take minimal good care of the internal factor, that is, of ourselves.
Of course, preparing well for an act of public communication is essential. But treating ourselves well is too, and the problem is that we tend to ignore that at that D moment, WE are the exact center through which all those external elements that both occupy and concern us have to pass.
In my case, it has taken decades to integrate this idea. But I am already an expert in actively seeking, no matter how busy, that sacred time of connection with my own center. The good energy that this connection generates is later reflected, with no exception, in my talk, meeting or training.
It doesn’t matter what form or how long is the dive into oneself. Colors to suit every taste. Go for a walk in nature; in the city, if you are the urban type. Enjoy a comic. Or take a glass of wine sitting on the terrace gazing in the distance. Or, literally: give yourself a bath with salts, candles and your favorite music!
Be that as it may, those moments with yourself will fill you with a powerful and determined energy, which will be communicated to others even before you have said a single word.
It will also be your occasion to renew vows with yourself: reconnect with your passion for what you will explain tomorrow to the audience; connect with the desire you have to share your vision with your team in the meeting; or feel again why training others constantly renews your energy and purpose. Connect with all that which is already yours, and this will strengthen the connection with your audience when you communicate.
So, I recommend that next time you want to “give yourself” to others with all your intellect, your heart and your authenticity, you park perfection for a while and conscientiously take care of those moments to communicate with you first. Bathe in yourself without hesitation, even if it means sleeping a little less to get the perfect PowerPoint finished.
I leave you with the desire that the advice will serve you many and well. A hug, and happy Autumn!