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From: Pam
Date: 06 Oct 2011
Time: 20:29:32 -0500
Remote Name: 67.248.218.106
Hi Rebecca - great questions. I joined Toastmasters 5 years ago because I wanted to expand my network and begin taking more chances. I visited the club I eventually joined twice before committing. I was fired from my job on May 4, and gave that first speech on May 23. I was fired because of stuttering. I had tried for years to hide my stuttering, and was in denial that was even what I was doing. So, being terminated from an organization I had been for 20+ years was a huge wake-up call. It made me search the very crevices of my soul to figure out what the heck I was doing, and why was I hiding from the world. That first speech back in 2006 was the first time I had ever publicly told my story. Interestingly, I can be quite fluent when doing public speaking. I have some stuttering moments, but I don't get anxious much any more because I almost always tell people I stutter from the get-go, so they'll know what it is when it occurs. Because it is a "when", not an "if". I stutter much more noticeably when in small groups or one-on-one; I have no idea why, except maybe the speeches are akin to performing. I project my voice more and sort of go into the "zone" if you will, so my stuttering is minimal. But one-on-one, or on phone or skype, there is no doubt. Toastmasters is useful for ANYONE wanting to improve speaking, confidence and leadership. 99.8% of people in TM do not stutter, but have fears of public speaking. The practice and support available in TM is priceless! ~Pam