My 99 second talk that never was

You know when you're in class and the teacher starts calling random names to quiz the class and you keep repeating inside your head "Not me, not me, not me" and then your name is called? Well, it didn't happen to me today. 

What's a 99-second talk?

One of the greatest things about TestBash conferences is the last section, the 99 second talks. The idea is that 99 seconds is long enough for you to give public speaking a try, to conquer your fear in a safe environment, but 99 seconds is short enough for it to not make you terribly anxious about what to say. Also, if you're into public speaking and if you're not, why not give it a try? 

Anyway, I gave a 99-second talk at my first TestBash two or three years ago...it was TestBash Manchester precisely. The prize for being brave enough to speak was a beautiful light blue type of Moleskine notebook that one of the sponsors was giving, and I told myself I was doing it for the notebook but I knew why I was really doing it. 

Standing in line when no one can see you

The experience was different today because the queue up the stage wasn't visible. Nevertheless, every time I thought I was waiting for my turn, I kept repeating inside my head "Not me, not me, not me"...I guess I'm feeling a bit shy today and although I wanted to push myself, I didn't really want to push myself at the same time. I'm happy technology wasn't my friend today, but that doesn't mean I think the message should remain unsaid, so I thought I'd blog about it. 

I thought it was important to share this with you today because I've clipped my own wings in the past and it doesn't make sense so I've stopped doing it. 

I suck

I've always thought I sucked at art, so why keep trying?

I've always thought I had -1 musical talent, so why bother trying to learn how to play an instrument?

Sometimes it doesn't matter how many times you hear the phrase "Practice makes perfect", does it? Sometimes it just doesn't stick. 

I have stopped depriving myself of learning opportunities and if you're doing it as well, please, give yourself a chance. 

Butterflies

This post will be really personal (as usual) and not about work. Also, I'll try to make it easy to read but I think it's best if we see this as a ball of yarn that we're unraveling together. 

COVID as a unit of time

COVID months aren't like normal months. A lot can happen in a COVID month and nothing can happen as well, making a month feel like half a year or like a week. However, my months have been blessed with a passion for the internet and what you can find in it (I've always had it but now even more so), zoom activities every day after work, YouTube videos and not having to commute to the office, which has probably allowed me to do stuff after work. 

A sensei along the way

I can't remember when I bought my iPad, it feels like forever but it must have been one or two months ago. No more than a month or two before that I created @therookiesketchnoter, my public Instagram account, which is where I post all the sketchnotes I make. The sketchnoting community is amazing and I got lots of recommendations regarding who to follow to improve this and that...which is how I came across Fran Salomon, author of "Mejor Dilo con Monos" and Dean of the prestigious University of Moníchigan. I don't know why I find her so mesmerizing... if it's her charisma and how funny she is or the fact that she is a person who has struggled and found a way to improve. She's an amazing communicator and her messages just go through me and set me in motion. I wish she could convince me to go to the gym and stop eating crap...maybe I'll ask her to motivate me to do that when I finally meet her (I'm on the waitlist for one of her courses). 

This pic is from www.canva.com

I started following her on YouTube, Instagram, etc. I started practicing every day as she suggested. I can't say I'm getting better because I honestly don't see it, but I can say people seem to be liking what I make...and this time, perhaps that's the opinion I should trust...theirs and not mine because mine is pretty mean and judgemental when it comes to my own crafts. Fran Salomon always says that "drawing is a path to personal growth". She says we have to practice every day and enjoy the ride, since it's not the final destination that matters, it's the journey. 

Invisible competitions

All these months have been a different kind of journey for me because for once, I stopped competing with others. You know when you're in a competition to see who achieves more things but the other person doesn't know you're competing with them? Yeah, just like that. Shame on me.

I had been so focused on doing what everyone else is doing (thinking that I was going to become successful that way) that I was completely neglecting what I really wanted to do. I've always wanted to make films (don't ask, that one is a bit on hold atm). I've always wished I could draw and paint. I've always wished I spoke at least 5 languages by the age of 30. I've always wished I could play music...but I thought that all those wishes were not my thing (except for languages, that one I actually did invest my whole life in) since I was so bad at all of them.

Practice 

Fran Salomon talks about it all the time. Vera Gehlen-Baum talked about it too in her masterclass "You have no talent (and neither do I)". There's even a super cliché quote that says "Practice makes perfect", but why have I never really paid attention to it? I've always thought that you had to have some talent prior to practicing until you reached perfection...but what if you develop your talent because you practice so much? 

Tools

This part will sound very frivolous and consumerist (and it is and it makes me feel guilty but I don't know why I'm telling you this). I bought an iPad because I was getting frustrated that real paper doesn't have an undo button and I thought that perhaps digital sketchnotes might be the way for me. I bought a camera to make stop motion films. I just bought a ukulele. 

Butterflies

Last night, my husband and I were in bed and I told him: "I can't wait for it to be tomorrow morning so I can go to the music shop to get a ukulele. I can't wait to start my lessons*. I know you might think I've lost it, with all the hobbies I've discovered since March and all...but these are things I've always wanted to do and I didn't know I deserved to give myself a chance to try. I'm so happy I have the rest of my life to learn and practice. This is crazy because I don't think I've ever felt this way, but I'm giving myself butterflies in my stomach because I'm really happy that I'm alive and finally living."

*I used Roomie Official's two-month free trial Skillshare link and it worked! I also found a discount code to enroll for the whole year with 40% discount!! Send me a message if you want it :) 

TestBash Home

This event made me feel many things but I'm still processing them. In the meantime, this is what I did during #restBash to express what I felt and to summarize what my TestBash Home day was like.

Click here to see my video.

A sneak peak

 It's the third one I make in my life. It's a long time dream I've had, and the current situation re-ignited my dream.

Happy Sunday!