the most embarrassing video ever

When people ask me what I wanted to be when I was younger, I always used to say an actress. But then, a few weeks ago my husband called bullshit on that .

During a clear out of his hard drive he located the most embarrassing video EVER. It was a pitch for funding I’d made in 2009, while I was finishing up my Masters, to start a company going into schools and teaching the skills I’d learned through debating.

You see, long before I ever considered speechwriting as a career I was a debater. I was on the debating team at school and I ran the Debating Society at university. I know what you’re thinking… she was one of the cool kids.

Anyway… back to that video. I have only watched it all the way through once… it’s just way too cringeworthy. And I can only bear to share a very short clip with you here.

I have so many questions… why did we film in front of a noisy duck pond? Why do I sound like I have a stick up my arse? Do I still sound like I have a stick up my arse? (Please, don’t answer that.)

I’m not sure what the lesson here is… maybe a cautionary tail about marrying a guy you met at 16? There will be all kinds of things on his hard drive that you’d rather forget.

But even though I cringe, watching the video is a reminder of how far I’ve come. I’ve achieved what I set out to do 14 years ago. I use all my debating skills in my speechwriting today and in just the last month I’ve shared those skills with aspiring speechwriters and gone into a school to encourage local teenagers to consider a career in writing.

I’m heading off to the International Association of Business Communicators World Conference tomorrow to host a conversation about burnout in communications professionals. I plan to record my session. I know I will cringe watching it back. But I hope that in 2037 when I dig out the file I’ll smile at how far I’ve come all over again.