Toastmaster's Speech #5 Internal Weather Forecast

Toastmaster’s Speech #5 – Internal Weather Forecast
Your Body Speaks (Objectives: use stance, movement, gestures, facial expressions and eye contact to express your message and achieve speech’s purpose.)


Thank you Kary. Fellow Toastmasters and guests.

I’ve been told that I am a pessimist. One definition of pessimist is a person who habitually sees or anticipates the worst or is disposed to be gloomy. I definitely see myself in the first part of the definition: I do typically see the worst case scenario for most situations. EXAMPLE: My department is developing a new document management system. I immediately think: “What if this new system is slower than the previous one? What if the data gets corrupted during conversion?”

I rationalize this approach to life by saying I have to be able to anticipate the worst in order to prepare for it. EXAMPLE: Helps to proactively identify ways to ensure speed of the new system and prevent data loss. I think of myself as a problem solver, and the first step in problem solving is to be able to see problems. I guess I’m constantly in search of a problem that needs fixing. So in that regard I convince myself that being a pessimist – anticipating the worst – is quite useful!

But what about that second part of the definition: the tendency to be gloomy. The word gloomy reminds me of Eeyore from Winnie the Pooh. Being gloomy seems droopy, quite ho-hum, with a dark rain cloud overhead all day. Whoa! I don’t want to be like that!! I can’t think of a way to rationalize “gloomy” as a useful trait at all. I don’t want to spend the day under a rain cloud; I want to bask in the sunshine!

I want to have and project a positive attitude. Each morning I have the option to choose my own internal weather: Cloudy or Sunny. Let’s use Eeyore and Pooh as an example: Pooh approaches Eeyore with a cheerful, “good morning!” Eeyore replies, “Good morning, Pooh Bear. If it is a good morning, which I doubt.” A variation that I catch myself saying in response to “Good morning” is “Yeah, it’s alright for a Monday.” If I choose sunny attitude, I can respond very simply “Good morning, Anna.” And the dark clouds begin to lighten up.

Gloomy people often distrust others. Here’s another Eeyore quote: “Nobody tells me. Nobody keeps me informed.” I hear this one a lot, how about you? I may even say this from time to time. I’d rather give people a chance. If I choose to trust people, instead of assuming they are withholding information, I may find that they are just very busy. I can reach out and become informed. Give information and ask questions. When I am proactive and trusting a few more clouds drift away.

It takes effort to choose a positive attitude and refrain from complaining, but it is worth the effort. As Eeyore also said: “A little Consideration, a little Thought for Others, makes all the difference.”

Can I retain the ability to identify potential problems and still maintain a positive attitude? I say YES. I will embrace the ability to see problems clearly, and choose not to be gloomy. So am I really a pessimist then if I choose sunshine over rain clouds? Nope. I think my internal weather forecast is “Mostly Sunny” with slight chance of isolated showers.

Toastmaster’s Speech #4 – Redefining the Daily Grind

Toastmaster’s Speech #4 – Redefining the Daily Grind
11/17/10, 5 minutes

Fellow Toastmasters and guests, I have a question for you:

What time did your day begin today? Did your day begin as the sun came up…
or did the alarm wake your before it even got light?

I got up at 4:30 a.m. and plunged into the daily grind. Squinting as I turned on the light, I searched the closet looking for something comfortable to wear. With my eyes barely opened, I rushed through my hair and makeup routine. I slipped on my shoes and jewelry then headed to the kitchen to start the coffee before taking the dogs for a walk.

[SPEAK FASTER HERE] Then it was cook breakfast, fight traffic, slow down in the parking garage, fire up the computer and work, work, work. This evening it will be slow down in the parking garage, fight traffic, cook dinner, walk the dogs, and run, run, run… to the store, to the bank, and to return DVDs to BlockBuster. After all that – I may treat myself to a little Ben and Jerry’s Coffee Heath Bar ice cream before I collapse in front of the TV. Does this sound familiar? It seems fairly hectic from morning to night, doesn’t it?

What if I told you your day began last night as the sun set? Some cultures define “day” as the time between sunset and sunset, rather than sunrise to sunrise.

The day I just described is fairly typical in a sunrise culture: 1) we rise, 2) we work, and 3) then we end the day in rest. We rest to recover from our work … with whatever time is left over!

By contrast, in a sunset culture: 1) we rest, 2) then we rise, and 3) do our work. Do you see the subtle difference? Rest comes first. Rest serves to prepare us to work rather than just recover from it.

Defining the day beginning at sunrise makes work primary. Defining the day beginning at sunset makes rest primary.

Consider this for a moment: How might redefining day into a sunset to sunset rhythm affect our priorities? Would we think differently? Would we live differently? Here is one possibility:


[SLOW DOWN HERE] My day will begin at sunset as I arrive home to my family (around 5:00 p.m.). With rest as my primary focus I will move through my activities with the purpose of restoration in mind.
o I will still cook and eat dinner – because food is a necessary part of maintaining our bodies.
o I will still walk the dogs. But I will pause to notice the crisp weather and bright stars – because it calms my mind.
o I will still drive my daughter to the bank, pickup ice cream at the store and drop off DVDs – while we talk about teenage topics like concerts, movies (HP7), boys, chores and curfew along the way.
o I will sleep and I will arise refreshed to bring my best self to work.
o With my batteries fully charged, I will handle the daily grind of work with a more relaxed attitude.
o I’m not rushing to get to work, so driving slowly in the parking garage isn’t a bother.
o My pace is a little slower and less hectic, so I’m able to see problems more clearly. I can respond thoughtfully rather than react quickly.
o As the work day wears on, I may be challenged to the very end of my endurance…
o But as the day comes to an end at sunset, I can look forward to a new day just moments away.

Toastmasters Speech – Intentional Kindness (9/15/10, 7 minutes)

Toastmasters Speech – Intentional Kindness (9/15/10, 7 minutes)
Purpose – To inspire the audience to understand and perform an intentional act of kindness.

Good afternoon fellow Toastmasters and guests. In the last couple of meetings, you’ve learned a little about me. There’s something else you should know: I’m not a kind person. I’m not a mean person; I’m just not naturally considerate and helpful. I sometimes forget birthdays; I rarely help with yard work; and I almost never share my “good chocolate.” I decided that I want to be a kinder person. I’m going to tell you how I plan to do it and I hope that you will be inspired to join me.

You have probably all heard the phrase “Random Acts of Kindness”. If you have ever benefited from a random act of kindness, you know that it provides a positive boost to your day. At a Starbucks recently, my daughter learned that the person ahead of her had already paid her tab. She was very excited when she told me about it. She was smiling and bouncy as she filled me in on what happened. Clearly it “made her day.”

A few things I’ve experienced include: a free bottle of water on a hot day, permission to go ahead of someone in the checkout line, a stranger on the fishing pier offering to unhook the fish that my daughter caught but was afraid to touch. I bet if you try you can remember a time you were the recipient of a random act of kindness. How did it make you feel? It makes me smile to think that someone who doesn’t even know me would take the time to be so considerate and helpful to me. It got me thinking, if a single random act can have such a positive impact, how much more impact could be made if we decided to be intentional about kindness?

Random implies that something happens by chance, in a hit-or-miss or casual way. The action may deliver a positive boost to the recipient, but it doesn’t do much to build a relationship. Don’t get me wrong, I think Random Acts of Kindness are good. I just believe that maybe Intentional Acts of Kindness are even better.

Intentional implies something that is planned and purposeful. Intentional acts of kindness tell someone that you know them and that you've noticed their needs. It tells them you’ve made a conscious choice to give, to help, to share, or to comfort. So how do we get intentional about being kind?

1. Choose your target. Although we may choose to show kindness to a stranger, generally intentional kindness will be directed an individual or group of people that we want to build a stronger relationship with.
a. Family member, co-worker, friend, or acquaintance.
2. The next step is to Notice details.
a. What do they like; what makes them smile? (certain foods, a picture, a joke)
b. What stresses them out? (certain chores; can I do anything to minimize it)
3. These details will help us Identify a need.
a. Do I know someone in a sticky situation? Let’s say my neighbor’s husband is out of town and she needs to make sure their kids get on the bus in the morning, but can’t be late to work. Maybe I could offer to let the kids stand in my yard so she can get to work on time.
b. Do I know someone in need of extra encouragement? Maybe a co-worker is trying to work up the nerve to give a prepared speech. I could offer to help her rehearse.
4. Be deliberate. Intentional acts of kindness often require planning.
a. For example, if I notice that my niece needs a night out. I wouldn’t just show up and say, I’m here to watch the baby. Instead, I may help her husband plan a surprise evening out – including baby-sitting services on the night they choose.
5. Finally, Sacrifice something of yourself.
a. Give of - your time, your resources, or your knowledge.

With this strategy in mind, here are some of the things I’m going to do to be more intentional about showing kindness.

• Remember family and friends birthdays with a card, note, or phone call.
• Share the “good chocolate” with my daughter when she has a hard day at school.
• And though I don’t plan to begin doing yard work, I will bring my husband a glass of water or tool he needs while he is working in the yard!

I’m looking forward to knowing that something I choose to do may brighten someone’s day. If you need a little more encouragement to join me in getting intentional about showing kindness, consider this: Intentional kindness doesn’t just make the recipient’s day; it can make you feel happier too.

Toastmasters Speech – Overcoming Procrastination (8/18/10, 6 minutes)

Toastmasters Speech – Overcoming Procrastination (8/18/10, 6 minutes)

Good morning/afternoon fellow Toastmasters and guests. We have all heard the Thomas Jefferson quote, “Never put off till tomorrow what you can do today.” I believe that we all sometimes struggle to follow this advice, so I’m here to share some tips for overcoming procrastination.

Procrastination is - Putting off things that you should be doing right now -- usually in favor of doing something that you like better or feel more comfortable doing. An example is putting off writing this speech in favor of reading a book.

The key to controlling procrastination is to 1) recognize when you start, 2) understand why it happens, and 3) take action to manage your time and outcomes better.

Step 1: Recognize That You're Procrastinating – here are some examples:

o If your day is filled with low priority tasks, you might be procrastinating.
o If you read e-mails several times without starting work on them or deciding what you’re going to do with them, you might be procrastinating.
o If you gear up to start a high-priority task, and almost immediately stop to make a cup of coffee/tea, you might be procrastinating.
o If the same task appears on your To Do list day after day, you might be procrastinating.
o If you are waiting for the “right mood” or the “right time” to tackle an important task, you might be procrastinating.

Do you recognize yourself in any of these statements? The next step is to understand why we are behaving this way.

Step 2: Work Out WHY You're Procrastinating
o The task is unpleasant. My youngest daughter once described doing laundry as “the most horrible chore in the world”. She dreads it and puts off doing her laundry as long as possible. Most of us have a task or two in our jobs that is unpleasant or boring, but the fact is – the job still needs to get done.
o Maybe you are disorganized and have trouble prioritizing.
o Sometimes we just feel overwhelmed by the size of the task. Like that mountain of laundry, we just need to sort it out and take it one pile at a time.
o Perfectionists also often procrastinate. They may feel that if it can’t be done perfectly, they won’t do it at all.

Once you recognize procrastination and understand why you do it, you can try some of these strategies to overcome it.

Step 3: Adopt Anti-Procrastination Strategies

If the task is unpleasant:
o Think about the unpleasant consequences of not doing the work – it often outweighs the unpleasantness of the task itself. In the laundry example, the unpleasant consequences may include having stains set in, running out of clean clothes, or forfeiting allowance.
o Try to do one of the “unpleasant tasks” first thing each day.
o Reward yourself.

If you're disorganized:
o Keep a To-Do list so that you can’t “conveniently” forget about unpleasant or overwhelming tasks.
o Find someone who seems organized and ask them to help prioritize your to-do list
o Set due dates.
o Focus on one task at a time.
o Reward yourself.

If the task is overwhelming:
o Break the project into a set of smaller, more manageable tasks.
o Start with some quick, small tasks to gain momentum.
o Organize the remaining tasks in a logical order to create an action plan.
o Reward yourself.

If you are thinking, "I don't have the right skills or resources to do this perfectly now, so I won't do it at all."
o Find training resources
o Apply what you learn to your daily tasks.
o If someone else has the skills you lack, team up with them and ask them to check back with you on your progress.
o Reward yourself.

Now that we all know how to recognize, understand, and overcome procrastination, next time you find yourself making a cup of coffee instead of tackling that mountain of laundry, I encourage you to try some of these ideas – in the words of Larry the Cable Guy “Git ‘er Done!”

And reward yourself [hold up chocolate bar].

Things I love (Toastmasters Speech – 7/21/10)

Things I love (Toastmasters Speech – 7/21/10, 5 minutes)

I’m Wendy and I’m here to tell you about some of the things I love.

I love dark chocolate. I think I get my love of chocolate from my Grandpa. One of my earliest memories is eating WaHoo and biscuits with him. WaHoo was what he called the homemade chocolate syrup my Granny would make for us. He also kept a stash of chocolate candy. There was always a carton of Whoppers at the top of his closet. Us kids would line up with our cupped hands outstretched and ask for “chocolate balls”. We would compare to see who got the biggest, the smallest and the most. One time I got 9! I keep a stash of chocolate too. In kitchen cabinet and my office desk drawer I keep chocolate squares: 72% and 86% cocoa.

I love dogs. Kittens are cute, but I love dogs. The first dog I remember was our black lab, Amy. My mama had great faith in Amy’s babysitting skills. We lived in the country, up a dirt path. When my cousin and I were sent outside to play, Amy went with us. We would walk down the path and pick blackberries - Amy went with us, wander through the garden and pull up carrots, wipe the dirt on our clothes and eat them - Amy was with us, and dig holes in the yard with spoons from Granny’s kitchen. Amy was right there, our partner in crime. My grandpa also had hunting dogs – beagles. They weren’t supposed to be pets, but he would sometimes bring one up to the house for me to play with. My current dog is a mini dachshund. She isn’t much protection and she doesn’t hunt, but she is pretty good at digging holes in the yard.

I love the mountains. My first visit to the mountains was Grandfather Mountain in North Carolina. As a child I was terrified of the “Mile High Swinging Bridge”. I went back a few years ago and it isn’t nearly as scary as I remember it. The roads are all paved and there are guard rails on every turn. During high school I lived in Nevada. You can see mountains in every direction. There’s Grindstone, Buckskin, Swales, and Mary’s Mountain. The Ruby Mountains have snow on them year round. Last week, I went camping in the Jarbidge Mountains in Nevada. It is a 3 hour drive from “town” with no paved roads, no guardrails, and no cell phone service. We saw antelope and deer, a fox and different types of wildflowers. If you hike or drive up to the peak, you can see for miles. From one point you can see all the way to Idaho. According to my daughter, THAT is scary.

I love my family. My dad was one of 13 children and last time I counted I had 32 cousins. He died when I was 2 and we moved from North Carolina to Idaho and then to Nevada, so I didn’t get to know that side of the family very well. My mom and sister live in North Carolina between the mountains and the beach. My brother lives in Nevada in the town where I went to high school. I have a niece and grandniece in Colorado, but they leave for Germany soon since my nephew-in-law Sergeant Seely is being stationed there (after 3 tours in Iraq and Afghanistan). I’ve been married to my husband, John for 19 years. We have 2 girls in high school: Miranda, 16 and Melissa, 14. In some ways we are opposites:
o While I love chocolate – they love vanilla
o While I love dogs – they love cats
o While I love the mountains – they love the beach
o But… I love my family – and they love me.

Things I'd like to do...

In no particular order:

1. snorkeling
2. learn to 2 step / country dancing
3. travel overseas / Europe, etc.
4. go on a cruise
5. serve in a soup kitchen
6. serve on a mission trip US and non-US
7. white water river rafting
8. train service dogs (puppy stage)/ foster rescued dogs
9. hot air balloon ride
9. helicopter ride in the grand canyon
10. deep sea fishing

And more...

Back to School

I don't know what is weirder, starting school on a Friday or starting on the 8th day of August! We have now survived 3 whole days of school. No one has been lost in the dungeons of DTHS or PVMS. I've been told it is impossible to eat lunch at DTHS because of the hordes of students converging on the lunch line and the snack machines are too sensitive to take a wrinkled dollar. Luckily, no one has perished from starvation, YET.