It's Nice to Share!

Do you remember when you were younger, how good it felt to share and have someone share with you. Well, sharing is one thing that we Toastmasters do well. As Toastmasters, we love to do great things and share within our Area, Division, District, Region and THE WORLD ... so that others can enjoy the fruits of our labor. If you ever see anything on Club 100's Portal (http://100.toastmastersclubs.org) that you would like to customize for YOUR club, just let me know. Use the form on the right to communicate directly with me. There are thousands of resources available.

Online Eye Candy Store

Someone reminded me that every time we write a post for a blog, or Facebook and even Twitter ... we increase our "sharing rate" (the likelihood that one of our contacts/followers will share our posting through their account) when we include a photo. I realize that it isn't always possible to find the right photo, and when you do find a photo - it may not be legal to share because of copyright issues. So, I have a solution. Here is a list of websites where you can find copyright-free images. The best part is that most of them come in a high resolution so you incorporate them into presentations, flyers, banners, etc ... I like to refer to this list as the Online Eye Candy Stores.

www.sitebuilderreport.com/stock-up
stocksnap.io
startupstockphotos.com
picjumbo.com
sumall.com/free-marketing-images
unsplash.com
www.lifeofpix.com
jaymantri.com
skitterphoto.com
nos.twnsnd.co
www.resplashed.com
www.pixabay.com
www.pexels.com

---

Go YE therefore ...

Recently, I had the opportunity to meet with Carlos Copara and help him refine a speech that he is working on. He impressed me, because he had the speech typed out. Now, I am accustomed to creating my speech internally, and then writing down notes to help me create the concise message that I want to give. So, as a coach and mentor, even without reminding him to bring his notes, he was prepared.

Say what?

The use or misuse of idioms can really leave an audience confused and dumbfounded. Every language makes use of "idioms" or sayings that are easy to remember and can convey a palliative message. As the native speaker matures and emerges, skilled at communicating complicated ideas through the artful use of words and familiar phrases, their influence potential increases exponentially. However, literate and educated in pop-culture can also be a disadvantage. How so? Remember the last time you delivered a quote that you believed everyone should know and it went over like a "lead balloon." You were so proud of yourself for using a simile and an idiom, you didn't even notice that your audience was stuck somewhere between the land of "huh?" and "what did she just say?"

Good Speech Topics 1-10

The most frequent comment I hear from NEW Toastmasters is that it is difficult to find topics to use as the basis for their speech. At a Lady & the Champs Bootcamp in Las Vegas over a year ago, I heard Craig Valentine mention that it is a good idea to follow the rule "only ONE point for every ten minutes you speak." Craig, that means that speeches of the 5 - 7 minute standard, should only try to convey ONE clear and important message! Awesome advice for new and seasoned Toastmasters to follow. So, to help you decide on a topic - I am going to present my selections from a published site "664 Good Persuasive Speech Topics"

Distinguished Club Program

Last night, Founders District Division C held their make-up Officer Training. Additionally, yesterday at noon, I helped JonClaud Pinto complete make-up Officer Training at our Boeing - Huntington Beach location. It is refreshing to both provide and participate in training opportunities. This means that our organization believes in providing each person with the necessary tools to succeed. This leads me to the primary tool which is used to both assess and direct club health, the DCP or Distinguished Club Program.

Did you say FREE?

If you have ever wanted to add pizz-azz to your brochures, posters, emails, and/or communications, but don’t have the money or time to invest in expensive software, this post is for YOU. I have been using expensive, professional graphic design software since 1996. My expectations are high. I refuse to use or recommend a product that is sub-par and leave users disappointed.

Coaching

Do you have experience speaking to large audiences? Have you learned how to deliver a passionate and persuasive message? Could you provide feedback to speakers who are just starting their journey to becoming a paid public speaker? If you answered "yes" then Toastmasters International is a great organization to help you mentor and coach others to excellence ... or at least, to self-improvement. Studies have shown that learning "how to" say something is MORE important than "what" you actually say. That is fascinating!

Top10

David Letterman's "Top 10" segment is legendary, so I thought I would attempt to provide a little levity as well as some compelling reasons why YOU might want to become a Toastmaster. If you are already a member, then consider these reasons why you might want to get more involved.

Who knew?

Have you ever asked that question? Imagine, there you are - living your life, not bothering anyone, minding your own business - and "out of the blue" you find out the guy who has been delivering your mail for the past twenty two years, just went berserk at work. Befuddled, you scratch your head in disbelief and ask "who knew"?

Set YOUR sights

The idiom "set your sights" always inspires me to action. Remember the classic Napoleon Hill quote "Whatever your mind can conceive and believe the mind can achieve regardless of how many times you may have failed in the past." In Toastmasters, we are all about creating a personal vision, supporting one another unconditionally and celebrating success through recognition. Look around and you will the wreckage of shattered dreams, for sure. If you look through the smoldering ashes, you will also see new, innovative and awe inspiring new creations. We see what you search for, without fail.

Become a mentor? Why?

Each of us has been changed, impacted, assisted or influenced by someone with more experience. To be successful, you don't need a fancy education - but you do need the encouragement of someone who has been where you are and has accomplished great tasks. Mentoring is a gift that keeps giving. When we are fortunate to be taken under the wings of someone we admire - it is statistically likely that we will also practice the act of mentoring others.