It was about four years ago when I joined Toastmasters International or TI. For those who are not familiar with TI, it is a nonprofit, educational organization that operates clubs worldwide for the purpose of helping members improve their communication, public speaking, and leadership skills. The initial reason I joined was to become a better sales person because I talked too much. I could not close the sale.
Over the years, my reason for staying in the club changed. The last reason I renewed my membership was in order to become a paid public speaker. It didn’t quite workout as I planned but I did learn one thing. I had the courage to get up and give speeches at club meetings and compete in local area contests which were all positives. However, no matter the size of the audiences I would speak in front of, the biggest critic in the room, was always myself until I focused on simply doing my best. The one person you most often have to please, is the one that lives within. As the famous African Proverb says:
When there is no enemy within, the enemies outside cannot hurt you.
References:
Photo Source: http://workwithadam.blogspot.com/2015/10/5-marketing-strategies-that-dont.html
TI Information Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toastmasters_International
Quote source: https://www.inspirationalstories.com/proverbs/african-when-there-is-no-enemy-within-the/
Life is about balance. As with any up there is a surely a down or vice versa. Without the rainy days we wouldn’t enjoy the sunny ones. These ups and downs are the waves that either bring or take away things for our good, even if we don’t realize it. Like our breath, the up and downs simply means life.
We can be our own worst critics or we can be our own biggest supporter. It comes down to your self-talk. When I started writing, I would find myself saying “I don’t write like any other blogger” so for the longest time, I was afraid to share my writings. I was comparing myself to others. What I come to realize is that it’s not what others think that can make or break us but what we say about yourself to ourselves. Only you can be you!
When doubt starts to set in, remember why you started in the first place. It’s inevitable to feel like you’re going nowhere, but when you take a moment to reflect back on how far you have come, you will see that you are making headway.
My son likes to play the first person games like Call of Duty and Gears of War. I used to play games like Centipede, Q*bert and Pac Man growing up (telling my age).
There have been many times that I have gotten my car stuck in the mud and there are valuable lessons I have learned from this experience that I can apply in life. One of the most important things to remember is: Don’t panic. When things are not going your way, the worst thing you can do is just and switch into something without having some type of game plan or destination in mind. When you feel panicky or anxious when things are not working out the way you plan, try and compose yourself first, take a step back, take time to think and assess the situation and then decide what to do. You don’t want to got from one mud hole to the next.
Quite often we put a hold on our dreams based on the conversation that someone may have said to you that “you can’t do that.” When you hear that phrase “you can’t” it actually means “they can’t” and that is true. Only you can do you with the gifts and talents that are within you. Develop those talents and gifts in order to live the best possible life for you on your terms, not by someone else’s.
Some of the best things in life happen when you least expect it. That’s the joy of staying open minded to new ideas, new concepts and new people. You don’t grow when you stay enclosed with the same thought patterns and social circles. Each new thing is an opportunity to grow either spiritually, mentally or emotionally. I have in the past said “what’s the worst thing that could happen?”, now I ask “what’s the best?”
The reason why things become uncomfortable to people is because we’ve changed just like if we loose weight or gain weight. We have to make the necessary changes to accommodate the changes. You are no longer the person you once were. Unlike weight gain, in life, we should want to expand and grow. There is nothing like becoming a bigger more expansive version of yourself through personal development. It truly makes you a more attractive person in the end.
Sweet N Social 
