JOURNAL YOUR WAY TO BETTER SPEAKING

Over the next two weeks, Stoneroad Toastmaster, Linda Neff, will be sharing with our club a presentation that she gave at the spring conference. Research indicates that we only share 10% of our thought and feeling with the world. The other 90% consist of our private feelings, desires, dreams and personal motivation. Keeping a written journal of these inner thoughts is not only therapeutic, put it also can be a rich resource of public speaking ideas. Socrates taught that, "An unexamined life is not worth living," and so a reflective journal helps us to analyze the events of our lives and how we feel about them.

Everyone has busy lives and taking on another task seems like a hardship. Linda explained that there is not perfect time for writing. The secret to success if to keep your journal handy and write whenever you have a moment. Try to find a routine that works best for your lifestyle. Can you journal during the commute to work, on coffee breaks, over the lunch hour or is bedtime best. Linda encouraged the club members to "make a date with themselves." Tell your family that you have an appointment; they don't need to know it's just you sitting in your favourite coffee shop with your journal.

STAY TUNED AS THE SESSIONS OF THE POWER OF JOURNALING CONTINUE.