I remember being in 3rd grade and standing in front of the class and reciting a poem and enjoying it. Then somewhere in there SHAME got a hold of me-- and it became excruciating leading to stomach aches, anxiety and insomnia whenever I had to speak in front of a large group. A few years ago I was asked to introduce a conference at Oakland Children's Hospital about a topic I had suggested: How children are affected by having incarcerated parents. After having my usual painful experience, I decided I had had enough of being controlled by that anxiety, and I decided to go to Toastmasters--something I had heard of and thought about, but was too afraid to do.
I can tell you it was one of the best things I have done and wish I had done it decades ago. Very simply put, you get a lot of practice building skills and getting comfortable, in a wonderfully supportive environment. It is also a lot of fun, and speaking becomes enjoyable. It's like anything else, it gets easier with repetition, or as I call it, getting in the saddle a lot. You also learn good leadership skills. The bonus is that it's an interesting and fun group of people--very diverse in the case of my club--and people who speak well about their lives and many other themes.
People whom come to Toastmasters are people who want to be effective. If you want to be active in a school board, neighborhood organization, PTA, peace group, professional organization, check out Toastmasters. It worked for me: I was recently able to give a medical talk to 60 people, had a great time doing it, and it was well received because of what I have learned about presenting.
We're human beings--we all like to talk--even more, we all have something to contribute. We need everyone's contribution. Check out Toastmasters--you can find a club near you on the internet. Come be a guest at my meeting.
