Uncovering Personal Presence

When you think about people with enormous presence, who comes to mind? Nelson Mandela?  Hillary Clinton?  Morgan Freeman?  Who in your personal life has presence and why? 

In his book “Living Presence,”  Kabir Helminski describes it this way:

“Presence is the way in which we occupy space, as well as how we flow and move. Presence shapes our self-image and emotional tone. Presence determines the degree of our alertness, openness, and warmth. Presence decides whether we leak and scatter our energy or embody and direct it. “

The quality of Personal Presence is determined by the balance and mixture of internal and external factors. It is increased through our posture, and by how we manage and direct our emotional energy. People who exhibit enormous presence tend to communicate from a place of sincerity and depth of character. Developing a stronger presence relies on bringing forth our own values and strength of character through thought, word and deed. 

When we stay grounded and connected to our center, our values and convictions shine through. When we disconnect from our center, distraction and anxiety can leak and scatter our energy. Energy in balance creates a sense of trust in the listener.

Think of the people in your own life you find interesting and comfortable to be around, and ask yourself why you feel that way. What subtle energies are they sending? When energy is in balance, communication comes from a generous, giving space. The listener feels at ease, valued, and good about themselves.

It is common for speakers to be challenged by the inner voices that question their abilities and worth.  Because we become better at what we continually practice, good and bad, it is important that what we practice puts us on a path that moves us forward.  Each of us can learn to better manage the situations which undermine our confidence.  

In your essence, you already are good enough. Developing personal presence requires stripping away the accumulated muck that covers up our highest, strongest and best self. Getting out of our own way is a worthy and continual life lesson.  Doing so allows each of us to uncover our personal presence and start witnessing our own human revolution.