How I got here: The Speech Department’s origin story.

I’ll never forget the first time my brain imploded.

It happened during a high school English class. The task: to deliver a 3-minute speech on a topic of my choice.

I stood up in front of the whole class – and saw 30 pairs of eyes on me.

My face went hot, my throat went dry, and – just like in the movies – I could hear my heartbeat thundering in my ears.

When I started to speak, my voice came out weak and wobbly.

Despite having rehearsed beforehand, I forgot every single word I was supposed to say.

As I listened to the deafening silence of the room around me – a silence that was supposed to be filled with my speech – I felt like my brain had melted out of my ears.

It’s funny now, but at the time the whole thing was excruciating – for me, and for every other person in that room.

I’m just thankful that it happened in a nondescript English class, where the stakes were low, and no one else remembers it as well as I do.

But I did learn something key: like almost every other person on the planet, I have a healthy fear of public speaking.

The only problem? The next few years were fraught with public speaking situations.

High school graduation? Had to give a speech. University? Chocka with presentations. My first proper job at a wedding magazine? You got it – more public speaking.

But my Great Brain Implosion of the Late 2000s had taught me one thing: however much you hate public speaking, you’ll hate it 10,000 times more if you don’t prepare properly.

I had no choice but to grit my teeth and get through each ‘opportunity’. Did I hate it every single time? Yes. Awash with relief when each speech was over? You bet. But was I slowly improving with every experience? Against all odds, yes.

Years later, when my friend asked me to be her maid of honour, I knew I needed a system.

• I thought hard about the content I wanted to include, using brainstorming prompts to think of unique stories.
• I spent a long time writing the speech, leaning on my knowledge from being a bridal magazine editor to ensure it was offence-proof.
• I tweaked it again and again, using professional editing strategies from the publishing business to make sure it flowed, and would make people laugh.
• I practised relentlessly, researching rehearsal and visualisation techniques to minimise my anxiety.

Don’t get me wrong – I was nervous as hell, like I always am before a speech – but I used those nerves to give me the discipline I needed to prepare properly, and give my friend and her partner the toast they deserved.