My next guest,  Charmaine shares her journey of joining Toastmasters, explaining her motivation to enhance her public speaking and speechwriting skills. Despite her extensive teaching experience of over 44 years, Charmaine felt that she needed to refine her skills in engaging audiences beyond the traditional classroom setting. 

Toastmasters provided a supportive environment where she could expand her comfort zone and focus on specific skills like timing and eye contact.

In addition to Toastmasters, Charmaine has been taking a public speaking course with Vinh Giang, where she has learned to use her voice more effectively by varying pitch and tempo to engage audiences. She reflects on how this training, combined with Toastmasters, has boosted her confidence and made her a better speaker.

Charmaine discusses the supportive nature of the Toastmasters community and how she continues to learn from other members, particularly during impromptu speaking exercises like table topics. She also highlights the importance of structure in speeches, emphasizing the need for impactful opening and closing statements.

Charmaine's role as Sergeant-at-Arms at the Blue Mountains club has deepened her appreciation for setting up spaces that foster a positive atmosphere. She notes how Toastmasters has not only improved her speaking skills but also brought more joy and excitement into her life.

Lastly, Charmaine advises anyone considering joining Toastmasters to "feel the fear and do it anyway," emphasizing the value of overcoming initial discomfort to gain confidence and improve communication skills in a supportive environment.