This year seems to be the year I get over my fear of public speaking.

At the beginning of the year I nominated to be involved in a local government management challenge - and part of this has involved doing speeches to large groups of adults. In the past I've been a primary school teacher and a children's librarian, so I'm accustomed to talking to groups of 30 kids, but to 30 adults - that's another story.

The challenge mean that I have given talks to or participated in presentation which have involved up to 50 people. I've discovered I'm getting less flustered and nervous each time.

Earlier this year, I was asked to give a speech at a friends wedding. A group of 70 people, where I knew maybe 10. I managed. I was stoked when I finished. I felt even better when someone I didn't know, approached me afterwards and told me I'd given a beautiful speech. That just made my day!

Next up, working with a team of people to deliver a training programme to about 150 people in one hit.....

I'm just pushing my fear to the extreme!

Sitting in my primary school library or at home pouring over the pictures. Receiving my very own copy that Christmas (awesome) because the school library officer suggested to my parents that it *might* be a good present (read as "The school wanted their copy back!")