Showing posts with label Impact Club. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Impact Club. Show all posts

Friday, 23 September 2016

Erudite Roulette: I don't know what to tell - TM Darshini, Impact Club Toastmasters

May 19th, 2016: it was a beautiful Sunday. I hoped to relax all day at home after a tiring work week. But, like always, things hardly goes according to my plan. The day had an interesting beginning. However, I knew it would have a very interesting ending in any case.
Being at the age of 25 and staying with parents in India is no joke. Like it happens for most other girls in our country, my parents were on my head. They always made a point on my marriage, much to my irritation at every moment. Weekends were no more fun, and I did not know what to tell, for all their so-called logical reasons for me to believe that I was at the right age for this lifelong commitment. On this day, they were expecting a prospective groom to visit my home. My parents wished he could become the siron-in-law, as they thought he lacked nothing and he would be the right guy to take care of me. This did not worry me much - because they had the same opinion on the previous guys. I had very few hopes, as I acknowledge my eccentric personality, however, I was looking forward to meeting one more person on this earth whom I have never come across.
It was evening, they did come on time to my surprise. I had to serve coffee, which was most difficult. With all difficulties I made a successful attempt. Yes, I did. There he was sitting firmly with an affirmative look and full of energy. We introduced ourselves (well, I forgot his name right at the moment and did not bother to ask him again). Talk continued for next 20 min. it was mostly on general affairs. I tried to cover my poor general knowledge by using Toastmasters’ skill by making the same point in 10 different way and it worked. I did not know Toastmasters would come in handy at that moment :P The talks ended and he bid his adieu.
Now my parents were more excited to know my response. It was then, something in me did say "Yes" when they asked if I liked him. I am still not sure why I did so. I did not know his name, I did not know where he was working, I did not know how much he earned, and I have never cared about looks. The intelligent part of my body, my brain started shooting questions and I still did not have an answer for its logical questions. Was it my heart that ruled over my brain? I don’t know, it’s just I somewhere felt he would take care of me well.
I got officially engaged to this guy just a week later still without knowing where he worked. I still don’t know what to tell if you ask me why I did so. The thoughts running in mind can be explained, but that’s not the case here. I don’t call it love but I may name it as intuition. Being in this relationship for two months now, I don’t say we are a perfect match for each other but all I can say is my intuitions weren’t wrong!

 Writing this, I still feel unsure of the reasons behind and all I can say is “I don’t know what to tell” and I will just be like water.  
Topic given by: TM Swathi

Thursday, 22 September 2016

Erudite Roulette: If I give it all away, I'll be free - TM Bhumika, Impact Club Toastmasters

This morning I woke as usual around 8.00o’clock…..As a habit, I turned the table calendar and a day awaited with a quote from Buddha “Happiness does not rely on what you have or what you are, but on what you think”
While brushing my teeth, I got a pet phrase of the day… “If I give it all away, I will be free” ….Got a thought! If I give away habit of late rising, I will be free…
I rushed to the kitchen and realized that I am not prepared to cook anything… Got a thought! if I prepare dough last night and keep it in the fridge, plan a menu, I will be free….
In the shower, I realised my shampoo bottle is empty and poured water into it… Got a thought! If I give away the habit of not getting groceries in time, I will be free…
In front of my mirror dressing up, I looked at my belly fat…. Got a thought! if I give away this belly fat, I will be free…
Looking for matching earring, ID card, matching sandals, hurrying to the office, reaching the office late by 10 minutes…. Got a thought! If I give away these last minute hurries, I will be free….
In a meeting being least prepared, Got a thought! If I give away my habit of preparing for a meeting on the spot, I will be free…
Stuck in the middle of some code… I needed help, but my ego stopped me… Got a thought! If I give away my ego, I will be free…
Spending a cozy time gossiping nonsense with colleagues, Got a thought! If I give away rambling, I will be free...
Evening while waiting for a bus, Got a thought… If I give away fear and learn to ride a bike, I will be free...
Back in front of my home, looking through my bag for the key, Got a thought! If I give away being forgetful, I will be free.
Alone at home, Got a thought! If I give away melancholy, I will be free…
When my husband did not turn up till 9 and I was fuming with anger, Got a thought… if I give up getting angry, I will be free….
Around 11.30PM back to bed, I realised that sleeping at 11.30PM, I can never rise up early. Ohhh!!! Thoughts struck... I forgot to plan a menu for tomorrow, “should I make upma??” No rava at home…ohhhh! Belly fat, I missed gym….last minute hurries, ohhh!!! I didn’t iron my clothes again….Tomorrow meeting with client, No preparations (again)…. Pending delivery, How to ask my junior to resolve…..Why is my husband still on the computer, oops! I am so dependent….Why am I thinking all this instead of sleeping…. I shall give away overthinking,
I looked at my table calendar reading the same quote
I got a thought. “There is no path to be free, but being free is the path”
If I give it all away, I can be free, but that is so not me!

I floated into my dream world.

Topic given by: TM Darshini

Sunday, 18 September 2016

Toastmasters Leadership Institute - TM Darshini, Impact Club Toastmasters

I attended the (Toastmasters Leadership Insttitute) TLI program, as Treasurer from Impact Club Toastmasters, from the Mysore Area (Area F4, District 92.) The Program was organised by District 92 on 17th July in Bangalore at S.P Jain University with the aim to train the club leaders for their roles and responsibilities.
The program was divided into 2 sections.

The first section concentrated on training the club leaders based on their leadership role. This was very useful, especially for the people who had taken the role for the first time. Informative discussions were carried out the whole time. Club leaders were given chance to share their experience. Concerns, usually faced in the clubs, were addressed. The discussion revolved around the key topics depending upon the respective roles.

Club Growth

The crux of the club growth defined the essentiality in working as team. The motto of the second section was to train the club leaders on how to work as a team in order to see a drastic growth. This message was powerfully brought out through different sessions. There were sessions on how to get DCP points, Club Central and Quality club meetings, Moments of truth.

How to Become a Distinguished Club: 

This is based on DCP points and very closely related to Awards.The best learning for me here was to understand that this was framed by considering the overall club growth and is a way to urge and motivate the members to achieve their goals. If the club leaders understand this and work together as a team, it will definitely make a bigger impact on club growth and even individuals' goals can be achieved in shorter span.

Conducting Quality Meetings: 

The message behind this session was “Monotonous gets boring” and we, as the club leaders are bound to work to make things different and interesting while not forgetting the whole motto of Toastmasters. Club leader work does not end in just organising the meeting, but he/she has to take one step ahead and set himself/herself as an example to other members. The trainer used mnemonic technique to make things simple and raw in the minds of audience. He summarised whole session with word “CAN” which stand for Change (Change to interesting ideas) Attitude (Attitude of Club leaders during crisis) Need (Change as per the Need)

Moments of Truth: 

Based on “The Successful Club series”, the trainer conducted this session as group activity. There was lot of opportunity to understand different methods implemented by other clubs to keep club in good state always.

The “Glitterati Contest”, first and best of District 92 initiative for team building, was introduced to the audience!

To sum up, it was a great experience. Good to see the efforts & commitment of District 92 to bring up the motivation among its members. The minor details, which is very much necessary to know but looked over, were addressed. However, if points to be considered for improvement, the whole program was hard pressed for time with a lot of information to ingest. If this is looked upon, the program would be more efficient.