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be retired so I don’t
I never found
anyone who
would pay me to sit in
front of the television with
a pint of Häagen-Dazs Chocolate
Chocolate Chip ice cream. However, I did have
a lot of fun throughout most of my career.
In hindsight, I wasn’t always in touch with
how I felt about my different jobs. It took a while
to figure out what I liked and didn’t like. Here
is some unsolicited advice that might help you
with that—start a diary. At the end of every
day, write down something that you really liked
about the day, and something that you didn’t
like. Hopefully, you’ll start to see some patterns.
It could be as simple as “I really like when I talk
with others and work as a team,” or “I really
prefer the quiet times when I can work alone.”
Once you figure out what you like, find ways
that you can do more of it. Okay, I admit that
is a gross over-simplification, and I am glad to
have to think about
it anymore.
Does all of this
apply to Toastmasters?
Absolutely! Most people say
they joined Toastmasters for
the usual reasons – overcome
the fear of public speaking,
looking for a job, have to give a
toast at a wedding, etc. However,
when I ask people why they stay
in Toastmasters, I frequently hear,
“Because it’s fun.”
How about you – are you having fun? If not,
maybe you are in a rut. Maybe it’s time for a
change. Try some different meeting roles, visit
some other clubs, or even try something outside
your club, like competing in a speech contest,
or volunteering to be an Area Director, or serve
on one of the many committees that help the
District serve our members. There are so many
ways to challenge yourself and keep the journey
interesting. Remember, life is short, so have fun
while you can.
VOICES! | JULY 2021 21