If you follow me on facebook or twitter than you know last week I was in warm sunny florida at the annual association of bridal consultants conference. I ALWAYS look forward to the week of conference as a time to re-connect with industry pals, learn amazing new things, and come back inspired and ready for the next year. This year is no different EXCEPT I can truly say it was soooo much more than I ever expected.
I have always been a public speaker, my first formal time on a stage speaking was in 3rd grade and I spoke to 1,500 adults in Hawaii about why my mom was the best shaklee mom. As I went onto high school and college I spoke and competed and became a nationally ranked speaker. In my professional life I have been asked to speak, submitted topics to speak, been paid to speak and created speaking opportunities. What all of these have in common is they were safe. I always knew the group WANTED to hear what I was saying.
This brings me to the last speaker on the last day of conference. His name is Simon T. Bailey I have known Simon since my earliest days with the Walt Disney World Company when he was over new business development for the Disney Institute. I have followed him and heard him speak time and time again. In fact in one of my presentations I give away his book! But this time his talk was different. It was talking to a different part of me - as per usual he has the group (376ish of us) work through an exercise with what we will STOP doing, START doing and CONTINUE doing. As he went around the room asking people what their stop and starts were I thought about my continue - imagine my surprise when he landed right in front of me with Courtney what will you continue to do? I knew it was a moment not to be wasted and so in front of 376ish believers, non believers, atheists and everything in between - my answer was simple - I will continue to be a voice for the 147 million orphans worldwide. As I went to hand him back the microphone he told me to keep it - he asked me what exactly my continue meant and there in a mainstream room I was able to share what my eyes and heart had been opened to over the last 5 years.
I share this story with you today because you never know when you will get the moment to share your story - so be ready - the lord continues to work in mysterious ways in my life but one thing I know for sure is that I need to seize my moment whenever it comes. And if you are so inclined check out Simon's books. Great reads such as The Vuja de Moment and Release your brilliance.
