My Greatest Joy
The past month has been hectic. Beginning with the matric fair and culminating with the recent completion of the demonstration meeting, the past month has certainly been an eventful one.
Yet, as I look back on the series of events and activities that took place throughout the past month, one thing stood out prominently. It is something that delights me greatly. That is non other than witnessing the growth of our members, especially over the past one month.
What began with reluctance, hesitance and passiveness, has pretty much given way to proactiveness, self-assuredness and confidence. Where members were initially shy to speak and contribute, I now see more members going about their work with greater ease, confidence and competence.
What a difference one month makes! What a difference, an opportunity for learning and growth can make in the life of those who seize them!
Many people go about building statues and have structures named after them in the hope of leaving a legacy, to be immortalized or just simply to be remembered. This is their way of leaving a mark in time.
Although I may not go about doing the same thing as those mentioned above, I am content to know that I’ve played a part in the lives of members who have benefited from the opportunities that had been created for them to learn and grow over the past few months.
After all, to me, there is no greater joy in life, than to know that you’ve left your mark in life, by creating value in the lives of others… and thereby, in turn, providing them with the means and opportunity to pass on the skills and abilities which you’ve taught them to others who need them too.
To me, the ability to “pass it on”, holds greater meaning and life value, than an immovable statue who sits or stands and watches time past by in history.
It’s a pleasure serving you, members of the NUS Toastmasters Club! Thank you for allowing me to be a part of your journey to growth!
Gary G.
Speaking with No Fear
I prepared this little write up on how to overcome the fear of speaking earlier at the Club’s Demonstration Meeting. But I’ve decided to post it here to for the benefit of the rest who couldn’t join us earlier this evening.
N – Nag Yourself to Success
Many people will begin telling themselves how they can’t do it and various reasons why they will not be able to speak properly.
Counter that by repeatedly telling yourself the reasons why you will be able to do a good job!
O – Observe and Regulate Your Breathing!
Pay attention to your breathing and consciously take deep breathes to regulate your breathing!
Let the breathing regulate and calm your heart rate!
F – Focus on your Most powerful Experience
Think about the your most memorable and powerful experience. Was it the day you received your scholarship? Got your first kiss? Won an award?
Or how about the day you pulled off that great project – a project that few believed you could pull off?
Relive your most powerful experience and feel the confidence and power flow through your veins again.
Speak with this power in your heart.
E – Energize Yourself
You’ve adrenaline pumping through your veins. Your heart is racing and your muscles are all tensed up. Your eyes are shifty and you are unsettled.
One suggestion for handling this adrenaline induced anxiety involves harnessing this nervous energy and making it work for you! Many people tend to suppress this nervous energy and bolt themselves to the ground instead of running away. This suppression causes them to shake and tremble because they are consciously fighting against their subconscious tendency to run away!
To ‘remedy’ this, you could move around a little bit! Walking around the room and gently gesticulating during your speech from time to time allows you to dissipate your nervous energy.
A – Acknowledge Your Fears
Fear is here to protect us, not paralyze us. Don’t run away from being afraid! Acknowledge it as being part of you… use it to identify the possible pitfalls, then work to plug those loopholes that may likely go wrong during your presentation.
Being prepared and the knowledge that you’ve covered most angles will prepare you and leave you assured that things will go to plan. And if they don’t, then at least you’re all ready to execute Plan B anyway!
R – Repeat and Review
Do you still remember the first time you learnt to ride your bicycle? Were you afraid of falling or crashing?
Fast forward a few years down the road. How afraid are you now after years of cycling practice?
Repetition is the key to mastering a skill and familiarity is the answer to fear and uncertainty. The process of reviewing and strengthening one’s abilities also adds to our competency and self-assuredness.
Join a Toastmasters Club to enjoy that platform for practice and the opportunity to have your speaking skills reviewed!
Upcoming Events for August
Good Day to All!
As part of the current Exco’s bid to add on the diversity and dyanamism to the NUS Toastmasters Club’s activities, as well as to expose our members to greater opportunities and speaking environments, I’m proud to announce the list of upcoming activities in August!
Club Installation – 14th August
Finally, the formal installation ceremony of the Club’s Executive Committee for the term 2007/2008!
Come join the club in celebration for a fruitful and wonderful 2006/2007, and lend your support to the incoming group of Executive Committee members, as they seek to ‘begin’ their term with a whole new array of activities and plans in the coming year!
Join our guests in a night of fun, laughter and growth over dinner and a round of games!
Meeting Details:
Date: 14-Aug-2007
Time: 7pm
Location: Staff Club (to be confirmed)
Remarks: Dinner will be provided. Pl RSVP with Gary @ garyguwe@hotmail.com!
Joint Meeting with NTU TMC, NTU InspYre TMC & Lingnan University (Hong Kong)
For the very first time in our clubs’ histories, we will be holding a 3.5-way joint meeting with the respective Toastmaster Clubs from NTU and a foreign University!
The spirit of learning knows no boundaries! Come join us for a great session of networking and mingling with like-minded individuals who’ve an eye on personal growth and communication improvement!
This meeting promises to be an exciting one, as speakers and members from each club promises to bring an added dimension and share new perspectives with one another. Speak about cultural diversity!
Meeting Details:
Date: 22-Aug-2007, Wednesday
Time: 7pm
Venue: NUS, LT 29 (Faculty of Scienec)
Remarks: Light refreshments will be provided
Demonstration Meeting for Freshmen!
Finally, the date everyone has been waiting for! The demonstration preview for all year one NUS students!
We will be playing hosts to our eager and proactive freshmen, many of whom are interested in knowing how the NUS Toastmasters can help better themselves in the area of public speaking and presentation skills!
Altogether, the club has managed to gather over 550 names of interested participants for this year’s demonstration meeting! A new record! A successful recruitment drive for the 2007/2008 term will definitely add on the dynamism and activity to the club – a definite plus point for everyone who’s seeking to learn, grow and have fun at our club meetings!
Come lend your support to the club by taking up the following appointments:
Demo Speakers,
Table Topics Master
Games Master
Facilitators
Meeting Details:
Date: 28 August 2007, Tuesday
Time: 7pm
Venue: LT 28 (Science Faculty)
Remarks: Light refreshments will be provided
August promises to be an exciting time for the entire club! With a slew of activities coming up, this would translate into more speaking opportunities for EVERYONE!
Seize every opportunity to speak and grow!
Best Regards,
Gary G.
President 2007/2008
