Evaluation & Feedback 1st Speech-Sample PM1, "Restart"

This is my 13th speech under Pathways. The speech was delivered at the Continental Manila TMC in Taguig City. This was during my first Area Director's Club Visit to Continental last Sep 27, 2018.

Restart
(Evaluation & Feedback 1st Speech, Level 1-Presentation Mastery, Sep 27, 2018, Continental Manila TMC, Taguig City. Evaluated by Dolly de los Reyes ACS ALB)

INTRODUCTION

Imagine yourself in this situation. You’re doing an activity that you’re passionate about for 3 years. And then, due to some urgent reasons, you had to stop… for 5 years. And then, after those 5 years, you go back to that activity you left 5 years ago. How do you think would it feel? To restart? To resume what you were doing 5 years ago?

Will it feel a bit awkward, cumbersome, a bit rusty? Well, you might say, it depends on the activity, yes? But that’s how it felt for me, after I stopped at Toastmasters and then came back after 5 years. It felt slow, awkward, cumbersome.

BODY (move right)

I first joined Toastmasters way back in 2006. However, I quit Toastmasters in 2009 due to some personal and medical reasons. Then in 2014 I rejoined. I missed Toastmasters, especially the social aspect. I missed the ambiance of a typical club setting - much like this one.

REJOINING
In going back, I sought out my previous mentor. So I showed up at their club. My previous mentor asked me to evaluate a lady speaker. Of course I thought it was going to be easy. After all, I was already an advanced speaker at that time.

I was so… wrong… I was so slow and rusty that I was actually groping for words. All I could say about the speech was that "it was nice." My evaluation of that lady speaker was so bad that I thought I’ve done her a disservice. I was so frustrated that I regretted even showing up!

(move center)
Fortunately, my mentor still prodded me to continue with the club. And I did. Slowly, I regained the past Toastmasters skills that I had. It all came back after attending meetings regularly.

REALIZATION (move left)
And this is what I realized. I realized that as Toastmaster member, you will always learn and grow. But! And here’s the caveat. The moment you stop, like I did, for 5 long years, it will be downhill from there. All the skills you gained will slowly disappear – the moment you stop.

GOAL-YEAR OF PATHWAYS (move center)
This year, for me, is a year for another restart. This time, it will be the year for Pathways, starting with this Ice Breaker speech. It’s like restarting another Toastmaster journey for me. And I’m excited!


CONCLUSION

There is always something new to learn with Toastmasters and you will never get bored for as long as you continually work on speech projects and take on roles. And the more you do it, the easier it gets. There’s nothing in Toastmasters that’s like an impenetrable wall. Aristotle once said, "What we have to learn to do, we learn by doing". Just like in Toastmasters.

And even if you go on a short break or quit temporarily, don’t be afraid of a restart. There is always something new to look forward to.