I was doing a presentation and signing books last Saturday, at Cheesecake and Crime in Henderson NV. Afterwards, I got to wondering if I would be people-oriented and comfortable in the spotlight if I hadn't been raised in the type of family I was lucky to be a part of. And if I hadn't found myself in a situation I where I had to literally "sink or swim."

Both sides of my family were friendly, outgoing people. I think my Dad was a little more of an extrovert than his siblings, but my Grandma (see earlier post) was definitely out there. As far as my Mom's folks, they were akin to a family circus. (check out some of the family posts on this blog.)

I wasn't always an extrovert. In fact, people are amazed to learn that I was a very shy person until I was married to my second husband. He was so outgoing it was impossible not to follow suit. So that part of me matured. But I still wasn't a speaker.

Back in the mid 80's I took a job representing a state-of-the-art product and went through a week of intensive product training, sequestered with all of the new reps in New Hope, PA. At the end of the training, we were informed that we could now go out and do our seminars.

Seminars? No one ever told me that. I thought it was one-on-one sales. WRONG. Part of my job was to make presentations to architectual firms, engineering firms, development companies, and corporate clients like (gulp) Xerox and Hughes. With heart pounding and palms sweating, I managed to get through the first one. The second was easier and by the end of the first month, I could speak to groups of up to fifty and sixty people and manage to keep my lunch down.

Without being thrown into that situation, I never would have been able to ad lib, speak off the cuff and feel comfortable as I do now. So, I'm fully convinced that sometimes an unanticipated situation will bring out hidden abilities. I know it sure did for me...thank goodness.

More in my next post about how I believe family environment affects the person we eventually become.

MORGAN ST. JAMES
www.morganstjames-author
www.silversistersmysteries.com