Opportunity

Our theme for our weekly Toastmasters' Meeting this week was Opportunity and I had the opportunity to give the toast, so I wrote a poem on the subject.

Opportunities Taken


Expand my horizons?
Oh no, I’m too scared
I don’t think I’d know what to do.
I’ve grown used to the comfort
Of just coming and listening
And maybe doing timing, or ah counting or quizzing
But take on a role of Toastmaster, no way
I might make mistakes. What would I say?
And table topics is frightening, people might boo
When I introduce a topic or two.

Expand my horizons
Do you really think I could?
The thought just scares me to death.
Well ok, not quite, but almost, but then,
that’s how I felt before I began
my weekly sessions at Toastmasters;
So maybe I can..
Ok, yes I’ll do it, I’ll step out in faith
sign me up.

I did it, I did it and I did ok
I really expanded my horizons today
And it felt so good I’ll do it again,
Why let opportunity just pass me by,
Without even looking to give it a try?
Just give me that schedule
And I’ll put down my name
I’ll start with the story or maybe a toast
It will give me an opportunity to stand up and boast.
Perhaps next week I’ll give my next speech
Or maybe even the word of the week.

My confidence grows with every new step
And I look forward to things that I haven’t done yet
I’m expanding my horizons and I’ll continue to soar
As each week I’ll do something and then one thing more.
Opportunities given, opportunities taken
The growth is amazing, there’s no mistaking
So look around at the things you can do
Who knows what next can happen for you!

Fran Watson
copyright Feb 7, 2011

Building Your Vocabulary

GROWING A VOCABULARY


Boys flying kites haul in their white winged birds;

You can't do that way when you're flying words.

"Careful with fire," is good advice we know,

"Careful with words," is ten times doubly so.

Thoughts unexpressed many sometimes fall back dead;

But God Himself can't kill them when they're said.

—Will Carleton, The First Settler's Story.

The term "vocabulary" has a special as well as a general meaning. True, all vocabularies are grounded in the everyday words of the language, out of which grow the special vocabularies, but each such specialized group possesses a number of words of peculiar value for its own objects. These words may be used in other vocabularies also, but the fact that they are suited to a unique order of expression marks them as of special value to a particular craft or calling.

In this respect the public speaker differs not at all from the poet, the novelist, the scientist, the traveler. He must add to his everyday stock, words of value for the public presentation of thought.

A study of the discourses of effective orators discloses the fact that they have a fondness for words signifying power, largeness, speed, action, color, light, and all their opposites. They frequently employ words expressive of the various emotions. Descriptive words, adjectives used in fresh relations with nouns, and apt epithets, are freely employed. Indeed, the nature of public speech permits the use of mildly exaggerated words which, by the time they have reached the hearer's judgment, will leave only a just impression.

Form the Book-Note Habit

To possess a word involves three things: To know its special and broader meanings, to know its relation to other words, and to be able to use it. When you see or hear a familiar word used in an unfamiliar sense, jot it down, look it up, and master it.

We have in mind a speaker of superior attainments who acquired his vocabulary by noting all new words he heard or read. These he mastered and put into use. Soon his vocabulary became large, varied, and exact.

Use a new word accurately five times and it is yours. Professor Albert E. Hancock says: "An author's vocabulary is of two kinds, latent and dynamic: latent—those words he understands; dynamic—those he can readily use. Every intelligent man knows all the words he needs, but he may not have them all ready for active service. The problem of literary diction consists in turning the latent into the dynamic."

Your dynamic vocabulary is the one you must especially cultivate.

To building your vocabulary

Fran Watson

P.S.  Check out my book on Public Speaking

HOW TO LOWER YOUR STRESS BEFORE SPEAKING

 


by J.A. Gamache

Third place Champion at the 2001 Toastmasters International World Championship of Public Speaking

Imagine that you're seated at a head table and asked to speak at the end of the meal. How can you relax when everyone's eyes are on you? Here are three simple ways to calm down in these situations.

1- DRAW A SERIES OF BEAUTIFUL NUMBER EIGHTS

This tip comes from Laurent Duperval (www.duperval.com), an excellent trainer. Before a talk, he might give the impression that he's jotting down some ideas, but in fact, he's taking the time to discretely draw a series of beautiful number eights. Why? Because he has to calm down in order to draw the loops in the numbers, otherwise they would look awful. This type of exercise forces him to concentrate, which is soothing.

2- TAKE A FEW DEEP BREATHS

Have you noticed being short of breath when you're nervous? Taking the time to really fill your lungs loosens you up before speaking. Personally, to relax I take 10 deep breaths at a ratio of 1-4-2. For example, if I inhale while counting to 3, I then hold my breath while counting to 12 (which is 4 times 3), and then I exhale while counting to 6 (2 times 3). Taking in more oxygen can help you calm down.

3- CONCENTRATE ON THE POTENTIAL BENEFITS OF YOUR SPEECH

When you're stressed, your attention is often focused on the symptoms of your discomfort, such as your clammy hands, racing heart beat, and so on. This focus only increases your tension. Instead of concentrating on your fear and any potential disaster scenarios, think about why it is important that your message be heard. By shifting your focus to your audience, you might grow calmer.

Try the three above techniques the next time you can't retreat anywhere to relax before speaking in front of a group. Draw a series of identical number eights, take a few deep breaths and concentrate on the benefits your speech can bring. You may be surprised by the effectiveness of these simple methods.

Happy speech!
©MMIX J.A. Gamache www.jagamache.com. All rights reserved.

---------------------------------

PERMISSION IS GRANTED TO REPRODUCE THIS ARTICLE in whole or in part if a copy of the reproduced text is sent to J.A. Gamache at info@jagamache.com after publication and also provided that this byline, including the following paragraph, appears along with the reproduced text:

This article was reproduced from "Speaking in Public with J.A.", a FREE electronic magazine authored by J.A. Gamache, International Inspirational Speaker. To subscribe to his FREE e-zine or to find out more about his presentations, visit: http://www.jagamache.com/.

*******************
JA Gamache is a member of District 61 Toastmasters.

Thanks JA for your excellent article!!

Fran

Public Speaking For Building Your Business

Are you using YouTube to market your business? 



This is my daughter Leigh Watson from w-esthetics.  This is a promotional video she shot with a web cam for her business.

You can do the same.  I recently was directed to someone who has prepared a video series which inspired me and it may inspire you too to create your very own video for your company.  I have included a link to her site below.  I encourage you to check it out.  Social media is growing faster and faster and you need to grow with it.

You don't have to be a public speaker to create your video.  You just have to be willing to put yourself on the line to talk about your business.  Isn't it worth it?

Fran

P.S.  Here is the link to the Video Conversion Formula videos. http://www.videoconversionformula.com/

Public Speaking Tips - Why Toastmasters?

Pursue Your Passion... This is a phrase we hear often these days, but what does it mean exactly?  How do we determine what our passion really is?  How do we find the time to pursue anything with all the work we have to do?  Those are really good questions and I'm not really sure that I have the answers to them, but one thing I do know is that pursuing your passion involves choices.  That's right choices.

If you want to pursue anything, it means you have to take some type of action.  The word pursue involves movement and if you are sitting on the couch watching the lastest episode of Lost or The Amazing Race, then you are not moving, (other than to get up from the couch to go to the fridge for snacks).

Pursuing your passion means making choices to forgo that tv show to get out and do something about what you are passionate about.  If it is playing hockey, then it probably won't matter that you don't have ice time until 11 pm and don't get home until 1:00 am and still have to go to work.  If it is building a better body, then you probably won't mind getting up really early in the morning to exercise and work out.  If it is becoming a public speaker, then you will want to attend public speaking events so that you can practice and learn.

Not all Toastmasters have dreams of pursuing a career in public speaking, but they do all have a desire to improve their communication skills in some way.  Perhaps they are shy and want to overcome the nervousness they feel in social situations.  Perhaps they have to give presentations as part of their job and they want to become more comfortable standing in front of an audience.  Perhaps they want to be able to talk about their business without becoming embarassed.  Whatever the reason, they have to make a choice.  A choice to show up at a meeting, to find out more about public speaking, about Toastmasters in particular.

I have been a member of Toastmasters now for 8 years.  I recently completed my DTM.  I have held every office in Toastmasters, but my favourite is that of Public Relations.  I really like to spread the word about the benefits of Toastmasters!  I have seen members grow from being so shy that they could hardly speak loud enough to be heard in a meeting, to competing in a Division Contest. 

I have been privileged to be a mentor to many new Toastmasters, to be a part of their growth from their first speech - the Ice Breaker - to the final speech in their Competent Communicator manual and beyond.  I have attended conferences and helped with the contest activities by judging and/or timing.  I have served as Area Governor and as a member of two High Performance Leadership teams. 

My choice is to learn and to serve in Toastmasters, to become better at speaking and to share my knowledge with other club members.  That is one of the reasons I insist on Educational Tips being a part of every meeting and every club I belong to.  It is important that we learn and grow.

What is your choice?  What are you passionate about?

Fran

P.S.  If you are passionate about public speaking and want to get a list of over 800 speech topics, simply click on this link to my webpage and sign up for my free public speaking ezine.

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How To Find A Speech Topic

FINDING A SPEECH TOPIC
by J.A. Gamache Third place Champion at the 2001 Toastmasters International World Championship of Public Speaking

Make an inventory of your personal stories. You know--the anecdotes you enjoy telling your friends and family. You'll be surprised at how many interesting topics you'll come up with.

I often hear people say, "I'd like to speak in public, but I really don't know what to talk about." Not a problem! Anyone who wants to write a speech has a personal treasure trove of stories at hand.

All you have to do is find the stories within your own mind. They're part of your personal history. Never underestimate the value of your life experiences! Your memories contain dozens of anecdotes that are worth telling. Your misfortunes teach many of life's lessons, and your successes can bring hope to others.

There's a great advantage to using your personal stories: they can be told without any formal preparation. Why is that? Because you know the stories thoroughly, having recounted them during family gatherings or with friends.

While the material we need may be close at hand, we forget to use it when we sit down to write, simply because we haven't actually made a list.

Here's what I suggest:

1- INVENTORY ALL YOUR PERSONAL STORIES
Make a list of all the personal stories that come to mind. You don't actually need to write the stories themselves because you're so familiar with them already. A few words will do. For example: "Bitten by neighbour's dog."

2- DON'T CENSOR
Write everything down. Also, note all the anecdotes you don't want to tell in public. Just use some kind of code so no one will recognize the story. It's important to write everything down because a story you want to keep secret may lead to another story that is appropriate to tell.

3- CARRY A NOTEBOOK AND PEN
During your next conversation you'll most likely hear something that triggers a memory from your past. That's when the notebook and pen come in handy. Write the story immediately, and add it to your list later on.

A great many personal stories are stored in your memory. All you need is to find a way to retrieve them and incorporate them into a list. You can then look up a story the next time you're searching for a speech topic. Furthermore, you don't have to limit yourself to your own personal stories. Your parents, grandparents and friends also have great stories
that you could add to your list.

Happy writing!

©MMIX J.A. Gamache www.jagamache.com All rights reserved.

---------------------------------
PERMISSION IS GRANTED TO REPRODUCE THIS ARTICLE in whole or
in part if a copy of the reproduced text is sent to J.A.
Gamache at info@jagamache.com after publication and also
provided that this byline, including the following paragraph,
appears along with the reproduced text:

This article was reproduced from "Speaking in Public with
J.A.", a FREE electronic magazine authored by J.A. Gamache,
International Inspirational Speaker. To subscribe to his
FREE e-zine or to find out more about his presentations,
visit: http://www.jagamache.com.

***************
JA is a member of my Toastmasters District - District 61. I have heard him speak a number of times and I am subscribed to his ezine. I encourage you to sign up and get the benefit of his knowledge and skills.

Fran Watson, DTM
Renfrew/Pembroke/Valley Vintage Advanced Clubs