Trying Toastmasters: Speaking Up to Strech Myself

Last evening I attended my first Toastmasters meeting since my college days. The first meeting I attended back in the day was an assignment for speech class, but this time I went of my own accord because I would like to brush up on my public speaking skills and get more comfortable speaking in front of an audience and groups again. I don’t have the fear of public speaking that many people are plagued with, and I thank God for that. When I was in college, there were several occasions where I gave speeches, and I actually enjoyed it.

On one occasion, when I was speaking at a Black History Month event, I remember that the audience began to smile and chuckle, but I was a bit disconcerted because what I was speaking about was not necessarily funny. It turns out that my daughter, who was about 2 1/2 at the time, had escaped my mother’s grasp and had crept up to the podium and she wrapped herself around my leg and stayed there for the duration of my speech.

The other day when I was chatting with a client about ways that she could prepare herself for public speaking, I recommended that she try Toastmasters. As I was describing this national organization that was formed as a way to help people develop their public speaking and leadership skills, I realized that maybe I needed to re-visit Toastmasters for myself.

Because I was already familiar with what Toastmasters is all about, I just went to the national website and did a search on my zip code. Turns out there are hundreds of Toastmasters chapters in the D.C. area, but there is also one that meets about three blocks from my house at a church on Pennsylvania Avenue. So, last night I ventured out and paid this meeting a visit. It’s a small club with just 21 members, but only about 9 people were in attendance last night. I felt welcomed to the group, I was invited to speak on two occasions, and I was thrilled to witness the installation of their new slate of officers for the year.

This group seems very supportive and I think that it will be a good place for me to get back on my feet and feeling at ease behind the podium again. I would like to get back into public speaking, and I could also add speech writing to my repertoire of services for my clients. I do, however, still plan to visit another Toastmaster’s group that meets in downtown D.C. that has more of a corporate focus. I really want to stretch myself, and this group feel very nurturing–I mean they meet in the fellowship hall at a church for goodness sake. In order to get the constructive criticism and exposure to a tougher audience, I may want to check out another group to see what I find.

Of course, I’ll keep you posted on what I decide, but I’m eager to get going now that I have been exposed to this fabulous opportunity to grow and develop my skills and abilities.

Uncategorized personal development, public speaking, Toastmasters