I have a dual personality.

There is the normal Tiffany – outgoing almost to the point of obnoxiousness.

Then there is the public-speaking Tiffany.

I hate her.

Whereas the normal Tiffany cracks jokes that actually make small groups of people laugh, sometimes, the public-speaking Tiffany stands in front of a crowd and has to remember to breathe.

It’s said that most people fear public speaking — many of them even more than death.

That knowledge doesn’t help me a bit. What would help is a generous slug of tequila, but the publicly intoxicated Tiffany is probably even worse than the public-speaking Tiffany.

People who know me and have seen me speak in front of groups have actually said to me afterwards, “What HAPPENED?” They can’t believe it’s me. I can’t either.

So, I’m finally taking the plunge. A colleague of mine, who also suffers from worse-than-average jitters when faced with talking to crowds, and I have made a pact to join a morning Toastmasters club. At Toastmasters, people practice making speeches, I’m told, until they’re no longer afraid of doing so.

Now the next thing I’ll have to overcome is an aversion to getting up early.