Thank you, Florence, for today's practice prompt. I appreciate the idea and recognize the importance of recording ourselves, though I must be honest—it remains challenging for me, even after years of practicing public speaking and having the privilege of advancing to area and district competitions.
During the district competition, it was mandatory for every participant to be recorded, with submissions sent to Toastmasters headquarters for their records. That marked my first time seeing myself on video. Despite countless reminders from club members and mentors that "You'll see yourself differently in recordings, and that's how you improve," I wasn't prepared for the experience.
Gradually, I began to embrace viewing myself from this external perspective. It has been quite a journey—sometimes uncomfortable, often eye-opening, but undeniably valuable. Each recording has become a mirror, revealing not just my speaking patterns and gestures, but also my growth over time. What once felt like exposure now feels like an essential tool for improvement.
This process has taught me that our self-perception often differs dramatically from how others see us. The camera doesn't lie, but it also doesn't judge—it simply shows us the truth we need to see to grow.
Florence, I love this invitation. I’ve found that recording myself is one of the best ways to improve. Since learning to code, I have a whole new lens through which to gauge how I embrace the MI spirit, use my MI skills, and assess the overall flow of a conversation.
I realize that my own bias can cloud my judgment when coding my conversations, which is why I sometimes ask others for help. I don’t often ask for an MI fidelity check, but I do feel the need to be listened to regularly.
Like everything else we learn in MI, listening to our own recordings gets easier with practice and time. So I say, close your eyes and jump in. Before you know it, with any luck, you’ll be diving in with curiosity instead of bracing for the cold.
Thank you, Florence, for today’s prompt. To be completely honest, this exercise is deeply uncomfortable for me. As part of my board certified health coach training, we had to do something similar by recording ourselves, listening back, and practicing with fellow coaches week after week. Let me say as a beginner learning MI and other core competencies; tonality, pausing, and slowing down were constant skills we worked on and I continue to work on. Cringe-worthy? Yes, also incredibly rewarding. It goes to show that there’s so much to “tune up” and the nuances of this practice can really make all the difference in a client/coach conversation. An exciting process. Grateful for the chance to revisit this today.
Thank you, Florence, for today's practice prompt. I appreciate the idea and recognize the importance of recording ourselves, though I must be honest—it remains challenging for me, even after years of practicing public speaking and having the privilege of advancing to area and district competitions.
During the district competition, it was mandatory for every participant to be recorded, with submissions sent to Toastmasters headquarters for their records. That marked my first time seeing myself on video. Despite countless reminders from club members and mentors that "You'll see yourself differently in recordings, and that's how you improve," I wasn't prepared for the experience.
Gradually, I began to embrace viewing myself from this external perspective. It has been quite a journey—sometimes uncomfortable, often eye-opening, but undeniably valuable. Each recording has become a mirror, revealing not just my speaking patterns and gestures, but also my growth over time. What once felt like exposure now feels like an essential tool for improvement.
This process has taught me that our self-perception often differs dramatically from how others see us. The camera doesn't lie, but it also doesn't judge—it simply shows us the truth we need to see to grow.
Florence, I love this invitation. I’ve found that recording myself is one of the best ways to improve. Since learning to code, I have a whole new lens through which to gauge how I embrace the MI spirit, use my MI skills, and assess the overall flow of a conversation.
I realize that my own bias can cloud my judgment when coding my conversations, which is why I sometimes ask others for help. I don’t often ask for an MI fidelity check, but I do feel the need to be listened to regularly.
Like everything else we learn in MI, listening to our own recordings gets easier with practice and time. So I say, close your eyes and jump in. Before you know it, with any luck, you’ll be diving in with curiosity instead of bracing for the cold.
Thank you, Florence, for today’s prompt. To be completely honest, this exercise is deeply uncomfortable for me. As part of my board certified health coach training, we had to do something similar by recording ourselves, listening back, and practicing with fellow coaches week after week. Let me say as a beginner learning MI and other core competencies; tonality, pausing, and slowing down were constant skills we worked on and I continue to work on. Cringe-worthy? Yes, also incredibly rewarding. It goes to show that there’s so much to “tune up” and the nuances of this practice can really make all the difference in a client/coach conversation. An exciting process. Grateful for the chance to revisit this today.