I was recently asked something like, “I think I understand
what Chris Allred Design is all about, but how does public speaking and social
anxiety fit into it?” My answer being something to the fact that it is for the
betterment of individuals so that they can live and do whatever they choose to
do (at least within the confines of what Chris Allred Design does).
I find a lot of enjoyment in both writing and cooking, and
if I can share a piece of that knowledge with another, then we are both better
for it. Chris Allred Design was born out of Passion + Need + Resources =?
I have the passion and am willing to share that with others,
but that is not enough because it is you that needs to care and have that
passion for whatever you chose to do in life; that’s hard because that is an
internal struggle that many people face. The real problem is that there is an
obvious need but not a lot of resources to fight that need. Where do people go
to learn to cook as a family? Who do people turn to for help when it is
possible to cook a meal at home for the same cost and in the same timeframe as
going out to eat (not talking about frozen dinners)? The only organization that
I know of is Chris Allred Design.
When it comes to writing there are people and places that
will help. Depending on your need, they can be really expensive or really
embarrassing. Some of these paid services do a really good job; Chris Allred
Design not only does what they do, but at a lower cost, and with the added
benefit of idea development.
“Ok Chris, I get it. How does public speaking and social
anxiety fit into this?” Helping people overcome, or at least deal with, the
fear of public speaking and social anxiety is a game changer for people
globally. Our # 1 fear is public speaking (death is # 2); which means that more
people would rather die than give a speech (more likely, “I’ll die if I have to
get up and talk in front of all those people”). The truth is that there are not
a lot of (or any) resources out there that deal with this. People would rather
live their lives in a state of panic and call in sick if they knew that they
were required to address a crowd.
“Why does this mean so much to you?” Anyone who knows me
knows that I am “slightly” egotistical and am my own biggest fan; I have never
hidden that fact. People, who also know me, know that the symptoms of MS have
altered my life (MS is not a disease, but a lifestyle change).
I am not afraid of public speaking (in fact I love to hear
myself talk and will often take over a conversation), so public speaking is
perfect for me. Throughout my life and career I have given many “speeches” from
anything ranging from an individual, to a small group, to a large crowd; I
always thought of myself as a good speaker. One of my MS symptoms is that my
mouth and my brain are no longer friends; I know what I want to say but that is
not always the case, and so I come off as slow, lost, stumble over my words,
and have a hard time articulating what I want to say.
I didn’t want anyone to know and so I faked it for years. I
thought that I was a good actor, even though my wife said that I wasn’t. Then
the day came that I realized that she was right; I really was the George Clooney
of acting (anyone who knows me understands that line). I was talking to about
40 people, including our Regional HR Manager who was in town. I knew the
Regional HR Manager pretty well, and she’s a great person. A little later in
the day, she pulled me into the office to talk because she was worried about
me. She knew that I wasn’t shy, but that during my speech she noticed that I
stumbled over my words and had trouble getting things out. I explained that I
wasn’t shy or embarrassed, but that life gave me a curveball that will be with
me for the rest of my life. Up to this point I hid it well (at least I thought
that I did) over the last few years, but things progressed. She felt really bad
and was very apologetic, with no reason to be.
So to answer the question, “Why does this mean so much to
you?” The answer is because I talk to people every day and no matter how dumb I
sound, I still do it and refuse to give in. If I can give another person some
of my confidence and help them push back social anxiety, social phobia, fear of
public speaking, and what have you; I’m going to try. I don’t have the cure.
Chris Allred Design does not have the cure, but what we do have are ways to
help you deal with it.
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