Speaker 1 0:08

You're listening to the Talkative Toastmaster podcast. I'm your host, Melanie Surplus. In this podcast, we explore how Toastmasters can help you to polish your public speaking skills, communicate with confidence and amplify your authenticity. You'll hear from my fellow Toastmasters and I how this global organization has impacted our lives for the better and how it could impact yours. Now let's get talkative. Welcome, ladies and gentlemen, to episode 39 of the Talkative Toastmaster podcast. This week, my guest is Evelyn, who is a member of both the Blue Mountains and Stage Time Toastmasters clubs. Evelyn recently reached out to me via Instagram, having found my podcast, and it turns out that she also speaks about Toastmasters on the Toastmasters Experience podcast, which she launched in June. Evelyn is an accomplished Toastmaster, having been a member for 16 years. She's completed a couple of pathways and is currently working through three more. So Evelyn obviously loves speaking, and I can't wait to hear about this Now. Evelyn has been awarded five triple crowns in her time at Toastmasters and one diamond award, and so, Evelyn, it's great to have you on the show. Welcome.

Speaker 2 1:28

Yeah, thank you so much. Thank you so much, Mel. I'm so happy to be here.

Speaker 1 1:32

Well, thank you for coming on and I can't wait to hear about all the different things you've done in Toastmasters. But could you perhaps by start telling us why did you get involved in Toastmasters?

Speaker 2 1:45

Well, I ended up joining Toastmasters. Ironically, I was actually going through a divorce and I wanted to find a new job to go into and I thought you know what I'm going to be a celebrant because I was getting older and I thought what job can I go into, where the older you are, the more people want to hire you? So I thought, you know what I'm going to be a wedding celebrant. So I ended up doing the course and when I did the course, the training school was having a sale, like if you do the funeral course, you get 25% off, and I thought, oh, that's a good deal, isn't it? So I ended up doing the wedding and the funeral course.

Speaker 2 2:33

I got 25% off, so, yeah. So I ended up doing the two courses and, yeah, I haven't looked back. So I've been a celebrant for 16 years. I've just recently stopped doing weddings. I just only do funerals at the moment, Wow.

Speaker 1 2:49

And in terms of speaking because that is speaking under massive pressure on highly emotional days how has that experience been for you?

Speaker 2 3:01

Well, I was fired after my 12th funeral funeral. I was actually fired for crying, because I cried too much which occupational hazard?

Speaker 2 3:13

I know occupational hazard and uh, just the funeral director said you know, we thought your crying was was a good thing, but it's just gotten. You just need to, you know, work on yourself. So I did. I still continue doing the weddings. And then, with the funerals, I was upset that I was fired because I actually enjoyed the job. I enjoyed being a funeral celebrant. But I did realize it was every time I did a funeral it was unresolved grief was coming up at every funeral that I was doing and that's why I was crying so much.

Speaker 2 3:50

So after about a year of counseling and someone saying to me, it's not your grief, it's their grief, you're there to be the voice for the family, it just kind of kicked in and I thought that's right, it's not my grief, why am I crying more than they are? You know it doesn't make sense. So once I learned that I've just become a much better funeral celebrant and I can kind of separate that it's not my grief, um, yeah, I mean, it's hard. It is hard, but it's given me a lot of practice speaking, you know, to an audience that's not very responsive and is not happy does that make sense?

Speaker 1 4:34

yeah, absolutely, I mean it's. It's a tough audience and a tough situation, and so has toastmasters, and speaking at toastmasters and getting the practice speaking there helped that process.

Speaker 2 4:47

Oh yeah, for sure, Definitely. But I know a few of my Toastmasters clubs. I think they're sort of sick of me talking about death. It's not the happiest topic to speak about. But then some people do enjoy topics. When I talk about, you know, getting prepared and making sure you're prepared, and I like to talk a lot about music and how music's important in your life and you know, and to keep things organized for when that time comes. So I've given a lot of organization speeches for end of life. So that's been pretty interesting. I mean, I don't just talk about death, but I like to talk about other topics. I like to share a lot of personal stories and stuff. So, yeah, I just find those are the easiest to speak about. They sound more authentic, you know, as a personal story.

Speaker 1 5:39

Yeah, and it's interesting because the whole topic of death is so taboo and yet we're all going to experience it at some point. I mean, that's the reality and I think to be able to speak about it from the perspective of being around grieving families so often that you would have amazing insights in your speeches and they would be touching and probably triggering for people, but important.

Speaker 2 6:05

Yeah, no, it's very true. It makes me just appreciate life so much doing the work that I do. I'm just so grateful, and it also makes me realize that we're all going to die. I mean we're all going to die but you know what I mean no-transcript together and to really honor that person and to celebrate them. And some people say, oh, you know well my mom, she didn't want a funeral but it's, I'm sorry your mom's not going to be there. The funeral, the funeral is for the living.

Speaker 2 7:01

You know, so it's really important. It's so important because I have seen through the years because I have been a funeral celebrant for 16 years I have seen over the years how not having a funeral can affect a person for many years you know, and whenever they go to a funeral, it'll trigger them because they never had that for their loved one, because they were honoring the wishes of their loved one. But you still need to have something for your loved one.

Speaker 1 7:30

Well, I think it's as well about telling the stories and getting those words out. And I find that a lot of people either come to Toastmasters because they were in a position where they needed to give an obituary and couldn't and actually just could not deliver the words in which they could have, and that's what triggered their Toastmasters journey or, you know, they know they've got a wedding speech coming up or something like that, a big life event, and I guess that's where, when you've got experience talking about grief and that environment, you're prepared for it, but the people who are speaking at the funeral often are not.

Speaker 2 8:10

Yeah, yeah. It is difficult, though, because my best friend died last year and I was asked to deliver the ceremony and I couldn't do it.

Speaker 1 8:22

I could not do it.

Speaker 2 8:24

So I understood at that moment, like if people are close to me I can't do it, but if it's someone I don't know but I will get to know through my questionnaire and being around the family for a few hours then I can deliver it for them and that's you know if it's too close. So I totally understand delivering eulogies, delivering tributes, they're hard, they're really hard. I mean, I've heard a lot over the years and they're very hard to deliver if you are emotionally attached to that person. And I have found the best tributes have been from children who don't have any filters and who just say it like it is and they haven't been very long. So you don't have to deliver a long tribute or eulogy for it to be effective.

Speaker 2 9:16

And that's kind of what we learn at Toastmasters. I like the five to seven minute timeline that we have. I give that to my, to my clients I said you know, don't make sure it's not over five, even over five minutes, like five to seven, you know, is good, but uh, if you can keep it shorter, it's, it's just as effective you know exactly, and I guess it gets them to focus on what's what's really important, because you can't explain an entire lifetime, however long you've got.

Speaker 1 9:44

So, yeah, keep, keep it short, keep it memorable and impactful. What do you enjoy most about being a member of Toastmasters?

Speaker 2 9:52

I enjoy the different stories that you hear during the meeting and I also enjoy that there's such a different group of people in the room Some members you, quite frankly, would not hang out with outside of Toastmasters but they surprise you with their stories and it just makes you more loving of humanity and you know what I mean. We judge people, don't we? When we're on the outside, but in Toastmasters we're all different. We're all different colors, we're different whatever, and we all have these stories and I just love it. I just love it. It's about self-development, it's about communication and I think that's why I love it so much and I love listening to people's stories, because everything surprises me. Yeah, I love it.

Speaker 1 10:45

I think as well the fact that you're podcasting and getting to deep dive with people in a way that you would hear, more than, say, their icebreaker speech. I have found such a rewarding part of podcasting. How are you finding that part about podcasting? Oh yeah.

Speaker 2 11:01

I love delving into people's stories and naturally I'm very inquisitive and I like to ask a lot of questions, which also comes from being a celebrant as well. But on the podcast, it's just such a rich experience Like I'm loving this between me and you. You know me and you, you know, it's fantastic, you know, and anybody I interview. It's just such a great medium. Podcasting you're getting into people's ears, you know, and just you, I don't know. There's just something really quite beautiful about just one sense if that makes sense like it's just an auditory thing that we're experiencing. Yes, you know, um, I know there's a lot of, you know, video podcasting out there on youtube which I totally don't get because it, you know, podcasting is about hearing yes and the words and, and I think if you just listen, there's just so much I don't know.

Speaker 2 12:03

There there's just richness in people's stories and it's a different sort of experience listening.

Speaker 1 12:10

Yes, I think it reminds me of the radio growing up, where I mean obviously had TV but I listened to a lot of radio and songs on the radio and talkback radio. And it reminds me of those days where and I think it's also like when you're reading a book there's a lot left to the imagination, as is with voice, and you can only go on the tone of voice and what people are saying and you're not sort of necessarily distracted by what the studio or what's happening in the background. And so, yeah, I agree, I like this format sort of. I don't think I'm ever going to move into video format.

Speaker 2 12:48

Oh, no, no, it would be too much work, way too much work. Exactly, Exactly. Not just the equipment, but you know, getting ready.

Speaker 1 12:55

Yeah, absolutely, yeah, definitely. Podcasting is perfect for me. I like being behind the scenes, but creating the content you know, yeah, yeah.

Speaker 1 13:08

Me too, being behind the scenes but creating the content, you know, yeah, yeah, me too. No, I do. I love it. Yeah, now you've done a lot of pathways. I know you've you've completed a couple of pathways and you're well and truly into the next three pathways. How has the pathways experience been for you? Because I heard on one of your episodes of the podcast that you have been around in the time when we had books and I was around in those times too. But yeah, how have you found Pathways? You?

Speaker 2 13:33

know, for some people they absolutely don't like it at all and some people they love it. I really enjoyed the manuals because I am a tactile person and so it took me a while to get into the pathways, but I'm a bit competitive as well. So my mentor, my mentor Jenny Long, who's been a member for a really long time, so she was doing lots of pathways and she was getting, you know, lots of awards and with the Triple Crown we were both wanted to get a diamond together and what that is is to get a triple crown, you get three. You have to complete three educational levels in a year to get a triple crown, but to get a diamond you have to complete three triple crowns consecutively to get a diamond. So I was in competition with my friend Jenny.

Speaker 2 14:30

Well, she got the three in a row and I got two, and then I just had a year where I just could not get there. I had to start over again. That's why I have five triple crowns. So I just got the diamond this year, but she got the diamond about four years ago. So I don't know if you knew. You probably did know that.

Speaker 1 14:52

No, I didn't know that. Well, congratulations on your diamond award. So that's a triple crown each year for three years in a row. Yes, yes, yes, that's right.

Speaker 2 15:02

And if you miss one like I did you have to start again. So I just thought you know before. I turn a certain age I need to get my diamond, yeah, so that's why I worked really hard and that's why I started a lot of paths. And you know how some paths you've got those huge electives that do take a bit of time. So then I would just start another path and do a few of the easier levels. That's why I've got all those different levels, just because I was trying to.

Speaker 1 15:34

Good tip, Good tip. Not only did I not know about the Diamond Award, but thank you for the tip in how to get there. In fact, I think I might be on a hat trick. I'm on my third year of. I had a triple crown last year and the year before, so I didn't even know I was on track to be going for it, let alone that it existed.

Speaker 2 15:54

Yeah, yeah, oh. So this year, if you get a triple crown, you'll get a diamond.

Speaker 1 15:59

Yeah, and that would have otherwise been completely news to me.

Speaker 2 16:04

So thank you for shedding light on that.

Speaker 1 16:06

That's excellent. Which has been your favorite path or project to date?

Speaker 2 16:11

I do like the podcasting one, obviously, but that kind of is my jam, you know, because you're being a celebrant and I actually like speaking on the microphone, which sounds really silly. But I've always enjoyed this medium and I used to be a flight attendant and I made all the announcements oh wow. And I think that's where my love of speaking on the microphone started, because I started flying in 1990 and I was a flight attendant for almost eight years, so I made the announcements in German actually I'm half German oh wow, yeah, anyway, anyways, but that's where I started speaking on the microphone and I just really enjoyed it.

Speaker 2 16:49

Okay. Yeah, it was really weird, really really weird, yeah. So I enjoyed speaking on the microphone and then you know, I was on community radio for five years. I just enjoyed speaking on the microphone. What I've found with the Pathways is that you can incorporate the projects to fit in with your work life. Like, for instance, I did a few level three social media projects in different pathways because you know I was trying to get my triple crown. So you know I would do like a Facebook or of whatever, being a celebrant or on a podcast you know, so I would incorporate those things that I was doing anyways in my professional life.

Speaker 2 17:35

I would incorporate that with Toastmasters, and I think I always like killing two birds with one stone, yes, yeah, so that I feel like I'm not wasting time. You know so, but that's what attracts me. If I see a project like, oh, I can incorporate that in my professional life or I know I'll be doing this sort of. Or last year for the motivational strategies, level five, there is a project where it is running an event or having a team or having whatever. So I ran the area contest and yeah, so I, so the area director, didn't have to worry about doing the contest. I actually did that as my project. So that was yeah. So I like to like, if you see a project and it looks like it's too hard, but you can incorporate it somehow.

Speaker 2 18:25

I know years ago, one of the members also for running an event. She ran a 50th birthday for her, I think for her sister, but she also sort of made that into a toastmasters thing. I can't remember what she did, but I remember she gave a speech about it, like how she you, you know organized everything, and so I think it's really supposed to Toastmasters events, not parties, but she did so. She did do that. I know there's lots of Toastmasters birthdays, that you can organize the event and you can include that as one of your projects, and I know people have done that as well.

Speaker 1 19:04

Yeah, yeah, I think if you can incorporate the projects into something, that either is going to help you personally or professionally and I just think it gives a lot more motivation to do it and and you can apply it.

Speaker 1 19:19

And I think you probably learn more when you are doing it with a purpose in mind rather than just saying, oh well, I'll just do that.

Speaker 1 19:26

But I also feel like that comes more in, say, the second pathway, when you've got an idea of how an entire pathway works and you know how some of those big level four and five projects happen, and if you know they're coming down the line and you can work backwards and say, all right, well, with the podcast project, for example, I started to do it even when I was up to just, I think, my level two project.

Speaker 1 19:52

But because I knew what was coming, I was able to write speeches about the podcast while I was planning it and getting it ready for launch. And I did quite a number of speeches about the podcast before I even got anywhere near the level four part, because I had worked through a pathway and because I knew what was coming and I kind of knew what the end goal for this pathway was. So this pathway for me has been fairly much about the podcast and different things, but I think having a focal point for a pathway can make it really valuable as well. Yeah, you sound so organized, that's so good. I think having a focal point for a pathway can make it really valuable as well.

Speaker 2 20:27

Yeah, you sound so organized, that's so good. But that makes total sense. I didn't, I just went straight into it. But, however, I found that because I am in two different clubs I'm in an advanced club and the community club Blue Mountains is I delivered them both, but I did it differently at each club Does that make sense, because one of the clubs.

Speaker 2 20:59

When I delivered it the first time, I just went straight into it and then one of the members my feedback was what is a podcast? You know what I mean, so that. So I thought, oh my goodness, I cause I just went straight into you know my podcast and you know my content and all that, and it just really confused quite a few members there. And then I delivered again it again at the other club, but then this time I actually had slides talking about what is a podcast, you know, and then I showed the different. You know the different. Uh, what's it called? Um, you know buzzsprout and you know the the hosting platforms, the host.

Speaker 2 21:38

I showed how it works through the hosting platforms, um, and how you need to get your rss, you know, so I actually that speech was just how do you do a podcast, so I'm sure is that what you did as well. Sounds like you kind of did that as well with your beginning speeches.

Speaker 1 21:56

My beginning speeches for the podcast were more about what I was trying to achieve and almost like the vision for them. And then I did a progress report speech, I think, after I was a few episodes in, so after it launched. And then I think I did another speech on, maybe about how to go about planning a podcast. And then I did the actual podcast speech for the level four, where you do the two to three minute speech and then play a segment of the podcast itself. So by the time I got to playing a bit of my podcast, I think my entire club was so sick of hearing about the podcast. I was just going to talk about the podcast again.

Speaker 2 22:40

great yeah, no, yeah. Sometimes when people see on the um agenda like, oh god, I hope she doesn't talk about death again, so I know well you get known for, I think, when you can talk about things that you're passionate about, right?

Speaker 2 22:56

yeah, yeah but but I I am really passionate about the podcast. I think it's very. It's so informative as well, like yours is so informative. And for me, I find the stories when I speak to other Toastmasters, just their stories for joining and their tips, their motivations and stuff yeah, I just love it. So I think we're fulfilling some. You know their motivations and stuff. Yeah, I just love it. So I think we're fulfilling some. You know a market here that people will really enjoy. I don't know if people get confused, because I do have a bit of an American accent and me being in Australia because you said that earlier like we've got two podcasters here in Australia. So sometimes I think I might confuse people with my accent.

Speaker 2 23:41

I don't know, have you even thought about that?

Speaker 1 23:44

I did actually, because when I heard your podcast and you were talking about the Blue Mountains Club, I thought, oh wow, you actually live in Australia. And I know when you reached out, that was one of the first things I did was checked out your podcast. And, yeah, it was really cool to see that you were in the Blue Mountains Club and I know that area really well and I know that you meet at the Carrington Hotel, which is a beautiful old hotel. What a fantastic venue for a Toastmasters meeting.

Speaker 2 24:12

Oh, it's fantastic. The only other venue that I have been to because whenever I travel I try to go to a Toastmasters meeting was a club in London that met in Kensington at I can't remember, but it was like an old hotel, pubby sort of thing, but it was right near Kensington Palace.

Speaker 1 24:34

Oh perfect.

Speaker 2 24:34

Yeah, so I don't know if that was the club you were in. I know because I remember you said something about being in a London club. Yeah, so that's the only club that I've been to that's had a nice venue as ours. So our venue is. We're so grateful to have that venue.

Speaker 1 24:50

I love it. I love it and you mentioned joining going visiting Toastmasters clubs when you go traveling. How many countries have you visited Toastmasters clubs when you go traveling? How many countries?

Speaker 2 25:00

have you visited Toastmasters clubs in Well, in America I've been to a Toastmasters club in Texas and in Florida, and overseas I've been to a club in Edinburgh oh cool. And in Glasgow, london, and I think that's it actually.

Speaker 1 25:20

Okay, yeah yeah, it's so fun that you can reach out to clubs anywhere in the world and say, hey, do you mind if I show up? I did that recently in Malaysia in.

Speaker 1 25:31

May and I had made plans to go to the Malacca Toastmasters Club and I was staying in Malacca for about five nights and and I went to the club andca Toastmasters Club and I was staying in Malacca for about five nights and I went to the club and that was all fantastic. And then they said, oh, are you here for our conference? I'm like what conference? Oh, our District 102 conference is this weekend, in five minutes from where you're staying. So I ended up going to my second district conference in two weeks because ours had been in Caloundra the week before.

Speaker 2 26:01

Wow, oh my goodness, and how was that? That must have been exciting.

Speaker 1 26:05

It was so cool and they were so friendly and like any district. Well, I hadn't been to a district conference, as I said, until the one the week before. It was like a Toastmasters club on steroids and everyone was very friendly and it was the same format as the types of contests and conferences that we run and there was a distinctly Malaysian slant in the speeches just the Malaysian humour. It was all in English and, yeah, I just had the best time. They all took me under their wings and then word got out that there was an Australian in the house that had come all this way and it was really fun. And just the odds of actually being in the same city, five minutes away from where the conference was, you couldn't make it up.

Speaker 2 26:52

That's so funny. Actually you just reminded me because I went to. I was in New Zealand in February and we were driving to the Bay of Islands and as we're driving in, I went to. I was in New Zealand in February and we were driving to the Bay of Islands and as we're driving in, I said to my husband. I said I should see if there's a Toastmasters in the Bay of Islands. And he goes, I guess there won't be one here. And I looked it up. They ran it once a month and the day that we were driving in they were having a meeting. So I actually have been to Toastmasters at Bay of Islands.

Speaker 1 27:19

So yeah, so I yeah, so it's.

Speaker 2 27:21

I try to, wherever I go, try to see if there is a Toastmasters meeting and if it works out, you know, if the universe allows, I'll just pop in. But I think there's so much to learn and I love to pick up their agendas to see how different it is and what they, what they add. But, yeah, I like it. Now I don't think I actually clarified, because I am in two Toastmasters club. I'm in the Blue Mountains Club, which is in District 90. And I'm in Stage Time Toastmasters, which is in District 70. So it used to be all District 70, a lot of this New South Wales area, but then they split it. I think nine years ago it was split because it was too big. Yeah, so now there is. So I'm actually in two districts, wow.

Speaker 2 28:08

So I went to the District 70 conference one weekend and the next weekend I went to District 90, which a lot of club members that live in this area are part of you know one club in 70 and one club in 90. So it's a great experience to be able to do that.

Speaker 1 28:27

Yeah, and do you go to the district conferences each year? Is that part of your calendar now?

Speaker 2 28:33

I try to this year. I, yeah, and I went last year as well. This year I'm going. I'm flying to LA on Thursday, so I'm very excited. I'm going to my very first international Toastmasters convention, because it turns 100. And I thought, if I go, I might as well go to this one. And what's even more exciting is that nine members from my stage time club will be there. Oh wow, I don't know, it's huge, it's huge.

Speaker 1 29:07

So, yeah, I think a lot of clubs are sending big contingents. I reckon it will be a massive conference because so many people have tied into this 100-year anniversary thing. I think we have about six or seven people going from my leading edge Advanced Toastmasters Club too, so I think there's going to be contingents of clubs there. I think it's going to be pretty exciting.

Speaker 2 29:30

It is going to be exciting, and I know that they have a flag ceremony too, so I don't know how that works, who holds the Australian flag, but it should be. Yeah, I'm really, really looking forward to it.

Speaker 1 29:44

Oh, what an adventure and what a year to do it in the 100th year anniversary. I mean, you'll never forget that one.

Speaker 2 29:50

Yeah, and that's why I thought I would go. And I did listen to the official Toastmasters podcast yesterday and they did say that this will be probably the highest attended convention in I don't know forever, forever yeah, I mean, I think just in a while in a while. So it'll be. Yeah, it'll be exciting to go and see what's up. Yeah, oh, I can't wait to go and see what's up.

Speaker 1 30:20

Oh, I can't wait to hear how it goes for you. And actually, one of our speakers in Leading Edge is in the final 28. So he has gone all the way through Colin Williams and he's representing Australasia and this will be a couple of this. Recording will happen in a couple of weeks, but we have just been to a over the weekend. Actually, there was an event put on for him to send him off, to get him to practice his two speeches and send him off, and yeah, so I actually know someone that will be speaking on the international stage and then he's got about, as I said, six or seven of the Leading Edge gang who will be there in the audience. So it's massive, yeah, yeah, we're so excited for him and, um, yeah, so you know yeah, no, that's, that's very exciting.

Speaker 2 31:10

Actually, in my stage time club we do have, uh, the. We do have a member who won second place in the world in 2021. It was when everybody was on Zoom, but yeah, so he won that competition. Yeah, he's an amazing speaker and Stage Time is an advanced club and I love that club because we have lots of district winners, so it's fantastic. I just learned so much. It really does push you if you go to another, if you go to an advanced club, once you get to that level.

Speaker 1 31:48

Definitely. And when I was practising my evaluations to speak at district, I was evaluating speakers like Colin and just really, you know, really got to look closely to find points for improvement for speakers like that. But in the evaluation contest you have to give points for improvement and that counts towards the points and you have to be able to find something for every speaker. So, yeah, I think the advanced clubs really do push you that extra bit, you know, yeah, no, no, they do.

Speaker 2 32:25

They do push you and you're around people who are just as motivated as you to do really, really well, so that pushes you further as well. Not that community clubs don't do that, because I think what motivates me in community clubs is people just improving. That really gets me excited. And I've also learned that sometimes the newer members they see things through a different lens than if you've been a Toastmaster for such a long time. They're almost more organic in the way they speak and in the way they evaluate too. So I think you learn from a member who's been a member for a long time or one who's just joined. So each club you know advanced or community-based, they have different advantages community-based.

Speaker 1 33:22

They have different advantages. Yeah, I agree, and I think to have that dual experience in the multiple clubs and the different types of clubs. And then there's the online version as well. So I haven't actually been a member of an online club, but I'm thinking, oh, that might be an interesting type of club meeting to throw into the mix, because getting experience in that online space where a lot of us spend so much of our time, I yeah, I wonder about joining an online club every now and then, but maybe not in my year as area director.

Speaker 2 33:50

There's enough going on. Yeah, that's right, you do have a lot going on, and it might even be difficult, to you know, get three educational levels out of the way, to get your triple crown again and to get the diamond, but anyways, you'll have to work that one out.

Speaker 1 34:06

Well, now that I know that exists, I'll plan it. I'll get planning on that one. Yeah, yeah, yes, but I mean, what would you say to people who are interested in Toastmasters but are nervous about going or terrified, depending on their experience? What would you say to them?

Speaker 2 34:25

I would just say to try out a few different clubs, because we're all different, and if you don't feel that vibe, then go to the next one. And sometimes the timing just isn't right in your life, like we've had people come and they're just terrified or they just can't do it. They've got just too much going on in their professional and personal life and they'll come back maybe two years later when they're ready. So I think just try it out. It's such a good, such good value for money really when you think about it. Just the educational, just the education that it offers and the practice that you get and just the community of people that you get to meet as well.

Speaker 1 35:10

For sure. Yeah, definitely, I agree. I mean, we obviously both love Toastmasters a whole lot, yeah, and so what are your goals for this year as a Toastmaster? You've talked about, you know, competing over the years, and you've talked about your Triple Crowns and the Diamond Award. What's your goal for this year?

Speaker 2 35:30

You know, I actually don't know. Oh my God. So it's funny. I was super motivated, you know, for three years in a row, because I really wanted. I just got to get it, I got to get it. But I am going away, like I said this, week. And I'll be gone for six weeks. So I just want to keep speaking, because if you don't use it, you lose it. And that because I haven't really given. You know, since I got my diamond the 24th of June, I've like delivered nothing in five weeks except of course ceremonies.

Speaker 2 36:04

But that's different, you know, because I have a script and stuff, but so I think I just need to keep make sure that I schedule in at least a speech a month and, you know, always hold my hand up to do evaluations. Just you just have to keep speaking because, it's like a muscle memory, isn't it?

Speaker 2 36:22

If you don't use it, you lose it. So my goal is just to probably do a speech a month, not complete a level, or I mean maybe complete one level but not do three levels. I haven't really really thought about it this year, so what's yours?

Speaker 1 36:43

Oh, what's mine? Okay, I don't think I'll get the dtm this year because I need to do a full year of area director, but I'm working towards it.

Speaker 1 36:49

Yeah, I think I would love to see the area. So my area 26 finished the year as a distinguished or select distinguished area, which would mean that all the clubs are humming and are really serving the needs of their members. That would be amazing as a group effort. For me personally, now that you've mentioned this Diamond Award and that I'm two people crowned into it, I think that probably might become another goal.

Speaker 2 37:22

Yeah, no, I yeah, so I quite like that. I've got my little diamond little pin that I have.

Speaker 1 37:28

I mean, it's not a diamond but you know it would be, great if it was.

Speaker 2 37:32

But yeah, I. You know, I have been a member for 16 years. I've given a lot of speeches over the years, but I've never really thought about my DETM, because I do have to do like what you're doing an area director.

Speaker 2 37:46

So that might be something that I'll do in the future, but I won't be doing it anytime soon because you know I'm doing this trip now and then me and my husband he's retiring and I'm semi-retiring next year, so we're going to go away for five months next year. So I can't really. So I haven't really thought about Now that I have the diamond. That's it for now. I'll wait till I come back from that five-month holiday next year and then I think I will get the DTM. Because you know, as you know, whenever you get an educational award you get, like you know, it's those initials PI4 or EH5. And if you have a DTM it always stays DTM it just makes it easier.

Speaker 1 38:35

Exactly yeah.

Speaker 2 38:37

So I think I might look at that after next year.

Speaker 1 38:42

When you look at all the elements. I mean I know some people can really rush through that, but it sounds like you're a long way along the path to getting there. And yeah, I think I have to do a speech craft. So run a speech craft course, I think probably next year, after the bulk of the area director stuff is is out of the way, like the area conference and the things I have to organize there. I think I'm quite keen to look at a speech craft course as well, because I haven't done that. But I I do event management and have been involved in event management for work, so I think a speechcraft course would be fun and and just another step along along the way does that?

Speaker 2 39:24

does that include? Is that something that goes towards a DTM, if you? Run a speech craft yes, okay.

Speaker 1 39:30

Yes.

Speaker 2 39:31

Okay, oh, that's good. So you'll do this area director role and then run a speech craft and then you're able to get the DTM. Is that correct?

Speaker 1 39:39

I think, as well as a speech craft, I think, you have to be a coach or a mentor to a club, so that's another part of it. Yeah, I reckon by the end of maybe next year I could foreseeably complete it if I thought about it.

Speaker 2 39:53

Yeah, I think it's something I'll want to probably do, maybe before I hit 20 years, you know, with Toastmasters. So yeah, I can't believe I've been with Toastmasters 16 years. It's gone so quick.

Speaker 1 40:08

Yeah, and what motivates you to keep coming back after you know, as you say, you've been there for 16 years? What motivates you to keep coming back?

Speaker 2 40:15

I guess it's really the people. You know the members. I really enjoy listening to the speeches and, yeah, it's like it's become a family as well. And you know, I don't necessarily hang out with a lot of the members. I mean I do with one or two of the members, but you know a lot of the members I don't. But I'm still interested in their lives because of the interesting speeches that they've shared with me. So I know details about their lives that they've shared and I quite like that. I just love that family. I like that family sort of feeling.

Speaker 1 40:48

Yeah, it's an interesting way of getting to know people and what I find fascinating is how revealing icebreaker speeches can be. Like people can be so vulnerable in their first speech and you think, wow, you know you were nervous about coming in to this this whole meeting and then you've just shared that, you know. I just find it fascinating what people will share that you know.

Speaker 2 41:11

I just find it fascinating what people will share. Yeah, I totally, and we connect with stories like that too, and that is, yeah, I love. I love stories where you're totally connecting. You know the members there and you get connected to the members through their stories and that's probably what keeps me going. Yeah, that's what I love about it.

Speaker 1 41:31

Yeah, and I think seeing people improve as well, or, yeah, just being with people, I guess, along their journey and seeing what's going on in their life and that's reflected in their speeches, and you learn a lot. It's just, and there's not that again that many other clubs or organizations where people are encouraged to be vulnerable and to share their stories.

Speaker 2 41:54

Well, what's interesting I've found is that some people don't like to be vulnerable, but I find that when people are vulnerable, that's when they connect and that is when a true that's what connects, because I'm in an advanced club where we really focus on that connection and it's I mean, I think that getting to that level of the connection and being vulnerable is what will make a great like, even a world champion speaker you know and I think that's what a lot of the members in my stage time club are aspiring to.

Speaker 2 42:31

I'm just aspiring to get to, you know, to get past division. I'd love to get to the district level but, like each level is different, you know, clubs different than area. And then I've been to division a few times but I've never gotten to district and I'd love to just get to district to see how that feels. But I know a lot of people who've gone to district, who've competed in the world competition, and even the one member who got second in 2021. And I know how they speak. They're amazing, you know they've got this vulnerability that they share in such a great way, you know. So, yeah, I love that. It's powerful.

Speaker 1 43:13

And so is there anything else that you'd like to share before we?

Speaker 2 43:17

wrap up, communication is so important, and what Toastmasters teaches you is not just speaking, but it also teaches you how to listen, through the evaluations that we do, and I think when you go to Toastmasters, you listen to people in a different way, and that is the value of Toastmasters. So that's probably the last thing I'd like to just share is I've, through being a member for 16 years, I totally look at communication in a totally different way. Yeah, it's deeper.

Speaker 1 43:52

It's just that deeper level of, as you say, years. I totally look at communication in a totally different way. Yeah, it's deeper. It's just that deeper level of, as you say, listening and observing. Even it's polite scrutiny. We politely scrutinize everyone. I think that's speaking.

Speaker 2 44:04

Yes, yes, yes, yes or yeah, evaluate them in a way. Sometimes I'll actually give people a bit of feedback. You know, know, and they're not even in toastmasters, especially I. I mean, at some of my ceremonies the happy ones, not not just the funerals I'm like, oh, you know, maybe you should have delivered it this way. No, but, uh, you're.

Speaker 1 44:24

But anyways, you know, definitely well, evelyn, it's been such a pleasure speaking with you and thank you so much for reaching out to me through through social media, the powers of social media and connecting. And I'm really looking forward to hearing more episodes of your podcast, the Toastmasters Experience. So I will link to that in the show notes so people can go and check out your podcast and some more fantastic Australian Toastmasters content. So thank you very much and have a great trip. Enjoy your convention.

Speaker 2 44:58

Yeah, no, that's great. Thank you so much, Mel. I'm just so grateful to be on this show.

Speaker 1 45:11

Thanks for listening to today's show. Head to talkativetoastmastercom, where you'll find the show notes for this and all other episodes, as well as links to some awesome Toastmasters resources. If you found value in today's content, I'd really appreciate if you could share it with friends and colleagues who may be interested, or leave a review on iTunes. This helps more people to find us. Until next time, remember the words of Seth Godin if it scares you, it may be a good thing to try. Have a great week.