As a Toastmaster, we have the opportunity to speak at our own registered group or guest speak with another location. This group I had previously visited and they were just as lovely then as they were now. The core group consisted of toastmasters had anywhere from ten to thirty years of experience and after all that time... they are still present with such passion.
It is Admirable to witness, as passion & commitment are a flame that can burn out, but these lovely individuals show up sincerely happy , helpful, kind, curious, and organized. It's encouraging to see this true sense of teamwork, community, and strong desire to help others become better speakers.
There are not many places that offer this level of commitment to the individual, mentoring, supporting, teaching, listening, and asking questions. Toastmasters truly is a place contributing to my personal and professional growth and sometimes it's their feedback that gives me the confidence and purpose to keep speaking no matter what.
The assigned Speech was to Research a Topic. "Texting and Driving" instantly came to mind as it was relevant to everyone and easy to keep people on the edge of their seat. It went well breaking the speech down into three solid points with a jaw dropping intro and a thought provoking conclusion. I definitely needed to practice more, but all the content was there....and the potential......
After my speech, there were very nice comments.
“You have a television or radio voice" This means the absolute world to me as I want to have my own show one day and I believe that I will. then I am receiving confirmations about where I can or will be.
An older man who kept smiling during my speech said, "You've got some potential kid." Another man told me how great it was and how to use this speech with organizations. These people don't even know me, but they believe in me? They are providing me with suggestions and resources as well. Toastmasters serve as confirmations that you are right where you need to be. There is positive and negative feedback always given, but it is genuine and essential for growth. They are not just saying something nice in hopes of you coming back to the club.
Therefore, it's these comments that I am grateful for receiving. It may seem like, "Of course you like positive feedback who doesn't?" It is a choice to say "Nice job" or go above and beyond with your comments. When someone acknowledges your potential, you rise higher the next time you go on stage. Toastmasters give you self-confidence, but they also bring you back to reality with critical/helpful feedback.
This connects to other posts with our confirmations. Confirmations given by our peers can help us believe in our own purpose and the goals we set out to accomplish. The world outside may be negative, unsupportive, unpredictable, inconsistent, but the world of Toastmasters is positive, encouraging, nurturing, and giving.
Thank you Toastmasters for your kind feedback this evening. I will be seeing you in August!
**AUDIO WILL BE PROVIDED SOON**