Attending my first Toastmasters meeting was for the sole purpose of getting a woman off my back. She thought Toastmasters would be good for me. I attended alone with the intention of telling her “Toastmasters is not for me.” Fifty-five minutes into the meeting, I was hooked.

Every Toastmaster eventually expresses a deep and personal feeling of intimacy. We are given specific tasks, goals, and rules we must follow in order to achieve awards and move forward. We learn it is easiest to give a speech on a subject we know about or are interested in.

Aligning the head, heart, and gut allows us to give authentic, heartfelt, and genuine speeches. During the January 2017 Old Folsom State Prison Gavel Club meeting, I heard speeches about the love of a baby brother, stresses of life inside and outside of gangs, and a terrifying sit down with a two-year old little girl during a prison visit.

When we connect with others in a genuine manner it builds trust. I love my baby sister dearly. I feel connected when I have friends, and when I became a 19 year-old mother I was terrified. Because speakers shared openly in an authentic manner, I was interested in what was being said. I believed and trusted what was being said. The end result was a bond that was established through stories being told that night.

Everything learned in Toastmasters can add positive skills for use in daily living. The organization is worldwide and offers a lifetime of learning and connections with others. Gavel Club members and community members can easily connect with one another. Toastmasters ground rules are basically the same throughout the world which puts everyone on the same page.

Once a Toastmaster always a Toastmaster. The lessons learned about appropriate pauses, time management, sentence structure, grammar, communication, words and phrases will stick with you forever.

When I joined Toastmasters I did not feel stressed about communicating in front of groups until I crashed during my fifth speech. My mentor encouraged me to stick with the program. She said I would be surprised and I would grow personally and professionally if I remained committed to the program. I thank her and my club members for their encouragement and support.

The Old Folsom State Prison Gavel Club Toastmasters creates a safe, structured, and positive environment for me and for those who are committed to their interpersonal growth and professional development.

http://www.woodworkerlifecoaching.com Julie W. Hubbs is located in Carmichael, CA julie@woodworkerlifecoaching.com #Coach_Julie_W