Author: Katrina Oase, DTM
Club: Executive Toastmasters
Picture this!
At the office Xmas party, a nice gathering, you were invited to go because your spouse was working at the company. You did not know your spouse’s co-workers. Therefore, the most logical thing for you to do at the party was to admire the food on the table and the decorations at the office.
Office, and Xema’s party become an obligation to go. It was overwhelming!
One night, I heard my husband mumbling something behind the closed bedroom door. I knocked and found out that he was rehearsing a speech that he had to give the very next day. David is a very soft-spoken person. He joined the Toastmasters Club to be a better speaker, a better communicator, he said. The next 2-3 years, I saw him transformed into a person who can host seminars, who gave professional speeches. The LIGHT in my mind got brighter each time when he gave a professional speech. I thought if an American need to do this to be a better communicator, how about a foreigner like me? I began my training 4 and half years ago.
If I told you that I did not have a struggle, I would be lying!
Let me give you an example.
We all had one of those days that we did not fully prepare our tasks for works or for things we promised to do. We secretly hope that something would happen that would prevent us from performing that dreadful tasks.
It was my time to be one of the speakers at my toastmaster’s meeting. I rehearsed my speech, but DEEEEP down I knew that I was not really to give that speech.
My office was 15 minutes away from my toastmaster’s meeting. It was 5 pm, and the traffic was heavy. I was parking on the middle of the land for the red light, thinking, wouldn’t it be great if I was so late that I missed my speech.
Suddenly, BANG! Someone hit my car my behind. Do you know what thought went through my mind quickly? YES, THANK GOD. (I was smiling) Now I had a ligament reason not to go to the meeting! That showed you how stressed I was!
I got out of the car. I said, is everything an OK? I could tell they guy must think what was wrong with this woman!
My thought was the insurance co. would take care of this. All I care was that I DID NOT have to go to TM meeting tonight! I called my President right away before I called my insurance agent. I was that stressed out, and all that because of a speech!
Like me, you will be stressed during your first year as a new Toastmaster. But you got to hang on to your goal. Commit yourself to the process, and I guarantee that you will be transformed.
Picture this, again!
At a similar Xmas party, a party with a group of nice people, and I was invited to go because my husband is one of the cavers in the group, Southern Arizona Gratto. I did not know the members well because I don’t do “spelunking.” However, this time, it is different! It was again logical to admire the food on the table, and the decoration of the party.
I: The chicken looks good.
A: Oh, I got it at Fry’s.
I: Well, they obviously know how to do their chicken right! Love it! By the way, my name is Katrina. I am David’s wife. Your name is…? How long have you been caving?
What difference was 4 years of Toastmasters.
There is power is the spoken words! Don Edward, one of my club members used to say. Unfortunately, for some reason, I did not learn it from the regular school system.
I found it in Toastmaster training.
Howard Schultz said “when you are surrounded by people who share a passionate commitment around a common purpose, anything is possible.”
I am here to extend my invitation to you to visit our club or any Toastmasters clubs, because there you will find someone like you, or like me who would like to improve communication and leadership skills, who want to Speak Better, Soar Higher.
