My journey and growth with Toastmasters has been on par as far the personal rewards I have achieved and enjoyed since I began doing personal growth work in 2006 with Psi Seminars. The courses I completed with Psi Seminars provided the foundation, courage, and tools for me to look in the mirror and see if I liked what I saw. This wasn’t a regular mirror that just shows your outer reflection. This mirror provided an inside view into my beliefs and how I was choosing to live my life.
I found what most everyone finds. I had some beliefs, habits, and actions which were supporting me and also some that were not so beneficial. Before I took the first Psi course, I never thought to analyze my thoughts and behavior in relation to the results I was getting in life. The course content and exercises were fascinating, and the realizations and discoveries I made about myself enabled me to make some powerful changes in my life.
In October of 2006 I enrolled in a 90 day goal setting program through Psi Seminars called PLD. The program involves a team of people who each set 4 individual goals. The goal areas are physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual. I have discovered the best goals are the big ones that stretch and scare you because they allow for the most growth.
For my emotional goal I decided to join Toastmasters. Public speaking was definitely a scary goal for me, but I knew I would benefit from improving my communication and leadership skills. I wasn’t really looking forward to working on this goal, but something within me told me it was time, and I decided to listen to my intuition.
When I joined Toastmasters I was not very effective at giving speeches. I know
because I listened to my intuition again when another club member asked if I wanted to have my 3rd speech videotaped. I said, “Not really. But okay, do it.” Watching the video was painful, but I knew it would be so it was no great surprise.
I also knew there would be tremendous value in watching my speech. That is why I sided with the little voice that said yes even thought a much louder voice was shouting, “No! Are you kidding? That will be so embarrassing!” The fact of the matter is everyone else who was ever going to see it already had (when I gave the speech) with the exception of me. Why shouldn’t I watch it too?
Well I should watch it, and I did. It was an extremely powerful motivational tool. I saw all of the things I did that I did not want to do in future speeches. My 4th speech was leaps and bounds better than my 1st three. On my 5th speech I was even having fun! I recorded #7 also, but I let #1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 8, and 9 slip through the cracks. That’s a lot of missed opportunities.
In hindsight, I wish I had every speech recorded. Every video has valuable insight and feedback to show you ways you can improve. I did start recording every speech when I was on my 10th one. Today I gave my 18th speech. It’s not just about the number of speeches though. It’s about the growth in expression, communication, and confidence I have gained along the way. Toastmasters provides a valuable network of people who become close, supportive friends.
I am proud of myself for listening to the little voices that encouraged me to join Toastmasters and videotape my speeches. I have achieved many significant milestones over the past year and a half. After my 1st ten speeches, I earned my Competent Communicator Award. I have also earned the Competent Leader and Advanced Leader Bronze Awards. I served as the Vice President of Membership for my club during the 2nd half of 2009. This year I am the President of my club.
It’s not really about the awards although the recognition adds a fun dimension. It is about the fears I have overcome and the progress I have made. It is about celebrating my success and the success of my fellow club members as we learn and grow together. It is about stepping further and further outside of my comfort zone because each time I do so my comfort zone expands. Wouldn’t you like to be more comfortable more often in life?
In the last 2 months I have taken Great Strides in expanding my comfort zone. I am particularly proud of 2 recent accomplishments. In February I completed a speech project called Speak Off the Cuff. For this assignment I was required to write down 5 topics on which I was willing to speak for 5-7 minutes. Just before being introduced, my speech evaluator randomly drew one of the topics to let me know the topic for my speech.
This was so scary! Although I have been speaking without the assistance of notes for quite some time, prior to this I had generally spent many hours over multiple days preparing for my speech projects. (Granted I’m a bit of an overachiever and a recovering perfectionist - something to take a look at there… ;-) It serves me well sometimes, but not always.)
I gave my speech without notes and without preparation, and it went very well. Perhaps you know the famous quote by Eleanor Roosevelt, “Do one thing every day that scares you.” Many people admire the quote, but I’m not sure how many people actually take her advice, not to the extreme I did anyway.
The rest of my day was magical, which is not to say that faeries or leprechauns appeared, but I did have this amazing positive energy from being so proud of myself for taking a huge risk, confronting an enormous fear, and successfully overcoming it. As I went about my day completing a few errands I noticed people were really drawn to the positivity radiating from my presence.
The 2nd accomplishment was participating and competing in the International Speech and Evaluation Contests at my club and area levels. I wasn’t planning to compete because I knew it would be a lot of work and take a lot to write, revise, and rehearse an award winning speech. I didn’t have any great ideas jumping out at me either.
Then a few things happened. First, my good friend Johnny called me chicken. I thought to myself, “Well that’s just not true. I’m just lazy and besides I don’t have a contest worthy idea.” Then I had a worthy idea. I could tell Leslie’s story about how she has coped with the challenges of living with Cystic Fibrosis. This was a really worthy idea. Not only could I raise awareness, but maybe I could also raise some money to help find a cure for Cystic Fibrosis.
Now the only excuse I had left was being lazy. That was not a very good excuse. And now that I had this great idea I would feel guilty about being too lazy to write a speech which could help save Leslie’s life. Now that I had the motivation, I needed to know the entire story and all of the details. I spent several hours with Leslie and a few more with her mom to learn everything I could about Leslie’s diagnosis, her childhood, and the rest of her life thus far.
Leslie’s story is a fascinating one, and I did well enough at the club level in both competitions to advance to the Area Level. Although I didn’t place 1st or 2nd at the Area Level for the speech I gave about Leslie, it was an amazing experience loaded with wins. I know Leslie better, I spent time with Leslie and her mom, and Leslie’s family knows just how much I love and appreciate her. Between the club and area contests, fifty more people learned about Leslie’s story and Cystic Fibrosis.
I did win 2nd place in the Evaluation contest. I received an adorable little trophy of which I’m also quite proud. It is a powerful symbol and visual reminder of this fantastic experience, which I almost let pass me by. This was my first speech contest. I was the only contestant who participated in both contests. It was my first speech outside of my club, and my largest audience yet. My best friend Angie came to the area contest to hear me speak for the first time. Leslie heard me speak for the first time during the club level contest.
You could say I didn’t “win” the contests, but in my mind the whole experience consisted of nothing but wins. Growing, achieving, and overcoming your fears are all evidence of huge wins. Spending time and becoming closer to family and 
friends has also made the whole experience worth every moment. I am truly blessed to have such wonderful, loving, supportive people in my life.
Leslie, thank you for your dedication and the countless hours you spent helping me revise the speech until I got it just right. Thank you for caring as much about this as I did. Thank you for being such an inspirational and courageous woman!
Julie, thank you for taking the time to share Leslie’s story with me and letting me have sneak peek at your book. You are a fabulous woman and a wonderful mother!
Loren, thank you for sharing Leslie’s story with me and sending the photos. You have been a wonderful influence in the lives of so many!
Russ, thank you for being you. Thank you for sharing your life and your family with me. Thank you for introducing me to Psi Seminars. I would not have become who I am today right now without all I have learned about myself, spirituality, and personal growth if you had not pointed out the path.
Brilliant Bill, thanks for sharing the path with me! PLD would not have been the same experience without you. In fact, I may not have experienced it at all! Thanks also for your input on the speech about Les. Thank you most of all for loving Les so much!
Brad, thank you for introducing the family to Psi. You are a wonderful guy! ;-)
Ellen, thank you for the opportunity to represent Hi-Fi Speakers at the contest.
Johnny, thank you for all of your support in preparing my speech and myself for the contest. I value your support, encouragement, and friendship.