Do It Myself Blog – Glenda Watson Hyatt

On the morning of October 3rd, I will be delivering my first keynote at Breaking the ICEWest: a small, consumer-centered conference aimed at helping people with speech and language disabilities who use Alternative and Augmentative Communication (AAC) systems to develop their lives to the best of their abilities.

My keynote will also be beamed into the similar event in Toronto, Ontario. Two keynotes in one!

In my presentation “Putting the Social into Social Media: How to Make Connections Online and In-Person”, I will be sharing tips on staying safe while using social media, a particular concern for this audience. I will also be sharing how social media has opened the world to me: how it has enabled my voice to be heard, and how I have made friends and connections from around the globe. This is also of particular importance to this group, for whom everyday interactions with people are difficult, if not impossible, often resulting in low self-esteem and self-confidence, and even social isolation.

As a final demonstration of the power of connections made online, I’d like to gift each attendee with an autographed copy of my autobiography I’ll Do It Myself. However, rather than seeking a corporate sponsor or two, it’d be awesome if the books came from you: my online community, my friends and my loyal readers.

To make this easy, feel free to use the “Buy me a café mocha” link right below this post to contribute. (Any amount is appreciated; books are $15.)

Here is how I am seeing this working:

• Up to 30 books contributed, I will give them as door prizes at the keynote in Vancouver.
• 30 books means every registered attendee in Vancouver will receive a copy.
• 31 to 69 books means every Vancouver attendee will receive one and door prizes will be given in Toronto.
• 70 books means every registered attendee at both events (Vancouver and Toronto) will receive a copy.
• Any money over and above the 70 books will go to the cost of shipping 40 books to Toronto.
• Any money remaining after the shipping cost will be donated to my favourite charity Union Gospel Mission.

At this point, all that I can give to those who contribute is a huge heartfelt thank you and I’ll add your name to the printed List of Contributors that I will tuck inside each book. If you would like a website or short message to appear beside your name, please note that in the comment section below.

Given that books for Toronto need to be shipped several days prior to the event, receiving contributions by Friday, September 25th, would be much appreciated.

Thank you so much! And, thank you for being part of my community.

I am excited!

On Saturday, October 3rd, I will be delivering “Putting Social into Social Media: How to Make Connections Online and In Person” at Breaking the ICE West Conference in Burnaby, British Columbia.

ICEWest is a small, consumer-centered conference aimed at helping people with speech and language disabilities who use Alternative and Augmentative Communication (AAC) systems to develop their lives to the best of their abilities.

The cool thing: my keynote will be beamed into the similar event in Toronto, Ontario. I will be presenting in two locations at once!

I’d like to gift each attendee (70-80 estimated in total) with a copy of my autobiography I’ll Do It Myself. To achieve this, a sponsor is needed. Or, a couple of sponsors.

This is where I turn to you –- my friends, supporters and community. I am looking for introductions to service clubs, companies or other such organizations that might be interested in sponsoring my keynote.

Thank you!

Even doctors have dismissed my ability to communicate. One specialist went as far as to tell me that he would ask me questions, but he expected my husband Darrell to respond because “it would be faster.” I was shocked! No one speaks for me on something as important as my health simply because it is more convenient for them.

I shared this story during last week’s CBC Radio interview, in which Communication Disabilities Access Canada’s Executive Director Barbara Collier and I, in my role as CDAC’s Social Media Coordinator, briefly discussed communication access for individuals with speech and language disabilities.

Here’s the interview audio as a YouTube video – a clever way to have the audio transcribed, even if it it isn’t quite perfect.

For more CBC coverage: Speech and language disabilities ‘need more support’ in British Columbia

Many resources for individuals with speech and language disabilities and on how to best serve us are available from CDAC’s project Communication Access Now.

Donning my Social Media Coordinator hat for a moment, I invite you to Like CDAC on Facebook and to follow @CommAccessNow on Twitter. That is where I am spending a fair bit of time these days.

“Do whatever it takes
to make your dream come true!“

On New Year’s Day, 1988, I left home for Simon Fraser University. On a beautiful day in June, 1995, I received my Bachelor of Arts. Finally.

The seven years in between those two memorable end points were challenging and, oftentimes, lonely. It meant most evenings and weekends alone, studying and writing papers that only one person – the Teaching Assistant – would ever read. What was the point of all that work and consternation? I often – at least  once per semester – felt like giving up and walking away.

I have witnessed many dreams die at this point, when the work gets yucky and tough. People hit a bump in the road, a barrier, something they don’t know how to do or would rather not do and they forfeit their dream for seemingly easier or quicker rewarding pastures.

Just last week, I experienced that feeling again myself. I was attempting to write my positioning statement: the one sentence that defines my uniqueness as a speaker. Playing with words, I was frustrated; like I was stringing together clichés. No combination of words was quite right. I began questioning what I am even trying to do and what message I am aiming to deliver. Was my dream of being a well-known motivational speaker a mere fantasy? Had I misread all of the signs?

At this point, I cannot say my positioning statement has since come to me in a thunder bolt of genius. That has still yet to happen. However, I am fortunately surrounded by individuals with much expertise in the field who are standing by, willing to provide feedback on draft statements. The key is that I must do the tough, yucky work first in order to have something upon which they can provide feedback.

Even though I do not yet have my amazing positioning statement in hand, I do know – with absolute certainty – that one difficult-to-write sentence is not going to kill my dream. I have come too far and put in way too much work to not follow through and make my dream come true.

Please excuse me. I have some work to do before I can get to the red-carpet-and-tassel part of my dream.

Is there something you need to do before your dream comes true? You’ve got this!

(Read about those seven years and much in my autobiography I’ll Do It Myself.)

In September, I had the pleasure of attending InBound 2014 in Boston to deliver a 12-minute Bold Talk, which is very similar in format to a TED Talk.

With great anticipation, I am excited to now share the video of my Bold Talk "Go Beyond: Stare Your Fear in the Face and Boldly Go for It!" (Transcript is available here.)

And my accompanying PowerPoint slides:

If you enjoyed my Bold Talk, please visit my speaker site for more info on having me speak at your next  event.

And, remember: Magic happens when you step beyond your comfort zone. Be bold!