More than just Public Speaking

Hello, Welcome to Victoria Quay Toastmasters.

Heljo Cameron

My name is Heljo Cameron and I was the club president for the last financial year.

When I joined Toastmasters I thought it was only about public speaking, yet I have found that it is a lot more. For me, Toastmasters is the ultimate personal growth experience and it is a lot cheaper than the personal growth workshops which I attended in my younger days.

Without going into too much detail about the things which I have learnt or am still learning (there are so many), I have provided a list, which I hope is self-explanatory. Even so, you may wish to come along and talk me about these things:

• Overcoming fear.
• Learning to have more interesting interactions with people on a one-to-one basis.
• Expanding my mind – looking at things in new ways.
• Overcoming self-doubt.
• Being flexible and stepping in to do things spontaneously.
• Being able to be brilliant one day and less effective the next and not berating myself with self-destructive criticism.
• Increasing my self-esteem.
• Thinking more quickly.
• Being more concise.
• Overcoming the fear of winning/learning how to win.
• Overcoming the fear of losing /learning how to lose.
• Being committed on an ongoing basis, even when cold, hungry, tired or unprepared.
• Realising that it’s not all about me.
• Working in a team towards common goals, yet at times doing things for myself, such as competing against my team mates.
• Finding out that when I compete, I am really only competing against myself.
• Discovering the times that I am most creative.
• Being given a licence for experimenting with new ideas and new ways of presenting things.
• Being really listened to.
• Improving my analytical skills.
• Allowing others to support me.
• Learning how to be more supportive towards others – encouraging and motivating them to help them meet their goals.

The Victoria Quay club has always been successful and I believe that certain people who founded the club are superb role models and make the club as wonderful as it is. I am still in the process of learning to be the mentor and coach that I would like to be.

Last year shortly after I became president I was unable to speak effectively for two months as a result of an operation. Club members gave me much needed support and allowed me to carry out minor roles before I could speak properly again. I believe that the fact that I was a Toastmaster and had to re-learn to project my voice actually helped me to regain my ability to speak. I thank everyone who supported me at that time and even those who have joined since – all you have left you own particular mark on the club.

Thank you Victoria Quay for an extraordinary year!

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