A Big Gulp

Tuesday morning, my coach, Jane and I discussed my next big step in my career, launching into public speaking. There are always first steps to any big transformation, and I knew mine was to go to a Toastmasters meeting and practice speaking in front of small groups.

At a networking luncheon later that day, I met a woman who was going to be attending a local Toastmasters that night, and she invited me to come along. That was all the encouragement I needed to jump right in, and at 7:00 PM, I found myself cautiously entering a roomful of ten strangers, clueless as to what to expect. I quickly felt at ease in this very supportive and upbeat group. They gave me a warm welcome, and I was told that I could attend as a guest and observer, not obligated to participate at all.

I relaxed and observed the many rituals of Toastmasters. There is a formality to the group that I found comforting. I like knowing that a group starts and finishes on time, and that people are timed and stick to the time alloted for their speeches. The feedback on the evaluations was positive, thorough, and thoughtful. People were there to learn and grow, and I was beginning to really enjoy this diverse and lively group.

With about a half hour left to our meeting, there was one item left on the agenda: Table Topics. This is the part of the meeting that people seem to enjoy, where members get to speak extemporaneously for two minutes on a given topic. The first topic was about changing perspective in how you look at something in life. The second was about describing something fun. The third was about imagining living on any other planet. What would that be like? And the next thing I knew, I was being called up to give that speech!

With a big gulp, I said, yes, and made my way to the front of the room, my heart beating rapidly. I did a quick mental inventory of the planets and my mind drew a blank. What could I say about Saturn? Was Pluto still a planet? I was so nervous, but as I took a deep breath, I went with my gut and began my first speech.

I spoke about living on the moon, which is not even a planet as someone informed me after my speech! But, the essence is that I spoke, I used humor, I kept my 'ums' to a minimum, and I made eye contact. I had a beginning, middle and end, and I was able to think on my feet. While I didn't come near to winning for best Table Topics speech, (there was a vote), I am so grateful for the inner courage I was able to muster in order to take my first step in public speaking.

What first steps will you take towards your big gulp?