My heartbeat would race and my whole body would shake. I would be out of breath and I’d speed through whatever I had to say so I could sit back down and escape the front of the room. This would happen every time I presented. (And once in a while, it still does.)
I’ve always been a better writer than a speaker. I was aware of this from an early age and actively avoided public speaking opportunities.
In order to combat this, I joined Toastmasters (a non-profit organization intended to develop public speaking and leadership skills) in my early twenties. I loved my original Toastmasters group in downtown Toronto, but life got in the way.
After a hiatus, I rejoined Toastmasters and I have been a member of my club for the past two years.
As we seek to adapt through the COVID-19 pandemic, I virtually visited Toastmasters clubs around the world. My letter was published in the August 2020 issue of Toastmaster magazine (‘Virtual Camaraderie, page 5). It’s thrilling to be published by a magazine that is distributed internationally.
Though the COVID-19 pandemic has existed as an end to ‘the way things used to be’, it also serves as the beginning of a new chapter. In addition to publishing my first novel this month, I will be starting my podcast.
I look forward to providing you with updates on my blogs (The Write Results and It’s A Go!) by the end of the month.
Take care!
Give your life the green light. It’s A Go!
Amber Green