From Steve Jobs presenting the iPhone, to Jim Carey making a presentation to the graduating class of Muharishi University of Management. Great speakers use their character and knowledge in unison to make a rememorable presentation.

I write this, not as a professional presenter, but as a student learning the ropes among giants. And these giants I speak of, well they don’t yet know they are giants. I’m taking a professional presentations course at the moment. The professor is a knowledgeable and likeable man trying to pull out excellence from his students. He had created a positive space in the classroom and most haven’t yet realized. Feedback is overwhelmingly positive, providing a boost to the ego and confidence of each student. Confidence that I had lost some time ago. “I feel nervous,” says one student just before he gets up to present a history of Jack Ma that was very informative and inspiring.

This course has provided a few life lessons to me. I realized not long ago that one of the biggest inhibitors in most people’s lives is the negative voice in their head. The is certainly was/is the case for me. After starting to analyze the forces around me, I have noticed a few negative things. I found negativity in close friends, I’ve found negativity in society and most importantly, I’ve found negativity in myself.

As this class continues, my outlook will be positive. My friends with the negative tones will be met with positivity. I finally found the the voice inside and I like the message it is delivering.

Find your safe place and take a chance on positivity. It’s powerful.