It might surprise you to learn that even after nine years of public speaking, training, and facilitating workshops, pre-workshop anxiety still gets the better of me. It’s not just butterflies; it’s a full-blown physical reaction. We’re talking about the kind of anxiety that disrupts sleep, kills appetite, and manifests as genuine physical sickness, even triggering mini panic attacks in the hours and days leading up to a session. There were times when the nervousness was so overwhelming that natural calming methods like yoga, breathing exercises, and meditation simply weren’t enough, and stronger measures felt necessary just to find a semblance of peace.
The irony isn’t lost on me that this happens particularly in my field: Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) and Emotional Intelligence. These topics demand complete presence, requiring me to be acutely attuned to the emotions in the room – navigating everything from anger and fear to trauma and despair. It’s about asking the right questions, actively listening, and skillfully facilitating conversations that are often deeply uncomfortable and challenging.
This particular week was shaping up to be exceptionally demanding: five full days, each with a new group of around 20 people, predominantly male, senior leadership, mostly engineers in their 40s and 50s, in Hamburg. To add to the complexity, the sessions were to be delivered in German, a language I’m not entirely fluent in. The pressure was definitely on.
But here’s where the unexpected help arrived, from the most unlikely of sources. Recently, I stumbled upon Snoop Dogg’s affirmation songs for kids, and honestly, they’ve become an absolute game-changer. Who would have predicted that listening to Snoop Dogg would become my go-to ritual, my morning mantra, before diving into workshops? It’s become a surprisingly effective way to center myself and find a moment of levity amidst the pre-session storm.
