All of the speaking opportunities I had in my schooling life, I always had reasons to abstain from them due to my fear of facing the crowd. I remember how my teachers and especially my principal of the school encouraged me to grasp those opportunities, but the inner child had a big resounding “NO”.
I was always told that leaders with greater speaking abilities tend to create an impact. From Abraham Lincoln to Winston Churchill and Mahatma Gandhi, some of the world’s most important historical figures overcame their fear of public speaking to achieve great success. That’s the reason that drove me to join Toastmasters – to explore myself and try to overcome my fear and to do the undone and transcend the boundaries that my mind had been confined to.
Speaking and expressing the mind is one of the arts I am on the way to learn. Speaking in front of a mass is a mixed bag of terror and anxiety. The stage fright always won over the battle but it’s one of the battles that I have to move forward with. I must prepare to lead myself through the journey of learning to face the crowd with ease and create an impact on my thoughts.
I have come to realize that people have several diminishing thoughts such as “Toastmasters is for the accomplished, who have already attained intellectuality and have spare time”. Unlike their thoughts, I questioned myself “Do I have to wait to make the move before I get ready?” I said to myself, “The only impossible journey is the one you never begin and thus starting is halfway done.” Had I not started the journey I would have spent countless hours thinking it’s far away and beyond the imagination of making it happen.
Toastmasters is one of the journeys that I want to truly immerse myself into and feel the in-depth intensity. Surrounding with nourishing people and a productive mindset, the aura, the energy, and positivity makes it not less than a healing technique. The audacious brains working together on both delivery, evaluation, and introspection lead to tactful confidence. The exponential growth and transformation sought from the hands-on approach from mentors and mentees is a treasure. The learning of Toastmasters is an Increasing Returns Learning Curve where efficiency rises over time until full proficiency is obtained.
Whenever I miss a meeting, I often think about the opportunity cost involved in it. What I learn as I listen to other’s thoughts and as I share my own thoughts broaden my horizon of learning. I believe the journey ahead is the mountain that is to be conquered and enjoyed through the trails encountered.
Youbesh Dhaubhadel, Bhaktapur and Baneshwor Toastmasters Club