Best speaker Magazine Issue 2 - December 2017 | Page 25

It’s important to be heard because so
many people go unheard throughout their
lives, that it’s important to be a voice. One
voice could touch and change someone’s
life. For me, the most moving story was
when I heard about someone who heard
about me thousands of miles away when
my story went viral. In fact, it was in India,
a guy who was on the verge of committing
suicide at the time, my story gave him
hope to keep trying, keep going. That was
the most incredible thing. So who knows,
maybe if you share your story, if your voice
is heard, you may be saving someone’s life.
Q
What do you think about the
University of Kelaniya Gavel
Club and the Best Speaker Contest,
about the initiative that we have
taken to promote public speaking
and leadership skills?
Instead of being so locked into that one
way of doing something, it’s just to be
able to step outside from the way things
are done, the ‘normal’, if there is a normal
way and looking at it in a different way.
Perhaps that will help change the way in
which you address a challenge and you
may come up with a solution even easier.
Q
What are your thoughts on
being a female motivational
speaker?
Being a woman is such a tremendous
opportunity for me to bring light to the
fact that women around the world has
the capacity to do some wonderful things,
some great things. For example, once I
had an opportunity speak in Jordan and
I was the only female speaker of a line of
speakers. To be a woman out there and
speak, it makes me proud to be a woman
for one and also to be connecting with the
women in the audience. You may think
that being a woman doesn’t mean that you
can excel to the same extent, but it really
does mean that you have even more skills
at times for achieving something. I think
that it’s just a great opportunity for me to
let women around the world know, that
they can do great things in their lives as
well.
Q
Do you still face the same
challenges that you did at
the beginning of your career as a
motivational speaker or has things
changed?
It has been 12 years since I’ve begun
speaking as a career. There are always
on-going challenges. The profession of
speaking is always changing, there’s always
a different way of sharing my message as a
speaker. So the business always changes,
it’s so dynamic and for me, that’s why I
love the field of motivational speaking,
because there is always something new
to accomplish. You don’t just become
a speaker, and it’s over. There is always
something new and you’re always pushing
yourself as a business person, you’re
always pushing yourself as a speaker,
and there’s always something that can be
changed. That’s why I like the continuous
challenge it provides for me in my life.
Q
Why do you think public
speaking is important?
If you look around, most of the media
around is negative and so it makes the
work of every motivational speaker all
the more meaningful. And not only a
motivational speaker but someone who
wants to share their story and be heard.
I think it’s a tremendously needed and a
wonderful effort that is being made to let
people know the importance of having
their voice heard. It’s a critical message
that needs to be continued to go out there.
There is so much negativity in the world
and to really shine on people’s lives, in the
positivity that they have and the success
that they have, it’s something that needs
to continue. I definitely applaud the effort
that is being made by your club because it
is critical that you continue to do that for
the whole country and for the world for
that matter.
Q
Finally, what is the message
that you wish to share with our
readers?
I definitely want to share this message that
people who have disabilities can do great
things and anyone can do great things.
They just have to believe in what they can
achieve and believe that they can do it.
And also the importance of acceptance;
personal acceptance and accountability in
one’s life, because everyone has something
that can either set them back or propel
them forward and empower them. For the
most important message is to celebrate
our differences and use them as assets to
help us do great things.
Jessica continues to spread her story in every possible way that she can.
Being a multi-talented woman herself, it is her greatest happiness to see
the world changing for the better and see people following their passion
despite any form of challenges. Her multi-faceted nature is a great form
of encouragement to show the limitlessness of life. Inspiration is what
drives us beyond the border. It is our sincere hope that Jessica’s story will
help our readers celebrate life.
BEST SPEAKER MAGAZINE 2017
25