A Toastmaster wears many hats

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The life of a Toastmaster is shrouded in mystery. Whenever you mention that you are a Toastmaster people raise their eyebrows and say ‘Really?’ They automatically assume that you wear a red coat, carry a gavel, and make announcements at formal dinners.

In truth that’s not the case. A little history lesson here tells us that Toastmasters International started in the good old U. S. of A. It was started by a gentleman called Ralph C Smedley. and he set it up to help young men increase their speaking confidence assist them in finding jobs in the big wide world.

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Why I joined Toastmasters

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Being unemployed for over two years after losing my job was a nerve wracking experience. I lost confidence in my communication.
During this time I found that I had lost my confidence. It was not easy to meet people and certainly even more difficult to speak to them. The thought of going out in the big wide world was indeed a real challenge.

After almost two years I had become a recluse. Although I eventually found a job I found it hard to interact with anyone. This was even more challenging as my job was in sales!
Struggling to meet targets I became depressed. This was indeed a low point in my life. At one point so desperate I didn’t know which way to turn.

What can I do? Who do I go to?  Where should I turn? All difficult questions I couldn’t answer and in the end my doctor had me on anti-depressants – yes, a really difficult time.

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