Rejuvenate Yourself!

According to my home page, Google.com, today is the first day of spring. I have noticed that trees and shrubs in my neighborhood are beginning to come back from their winter dormancy. Swelling buds and even tiny glimpses of green leaves are appearing on the tips of the branches.

We are used to the seasonal cycle of nature, when plants and even some animals take time out to rest during the winter and come back rejuvenated in the spring. Even though we aren’t trees or hibernating bears, sometimes a bit of rest can be beneficial for us, too.

How do you feel you are progressing in Toastmasters? Are you moving along from one project or manual to the next at a comfortable pace for you? Or do you feel dormant — can’t seem to get past a particular project or even find time to speak as often as you’d like?

Don’t worry! Everyone goes through those periods where energy and creativity seem to wane, you don’t feel inspired, or you just can’t think of a good topic. It is not unusual to have one or two of these times as you are working on your first CC, but it also happens to experienced Toastmasters as well — even DTMs.

Here’s my suggestion: Ask someone to be your mentor! This can be someone more (or less) experienced than you. Get together for lunch or coffee. Bring your manuals, talk about your goals. You don’t have to be a brand-new Toastmaster to have a mentor. Project 9 in the Competent Leadership manual offers the option of mentoring “an existing member with his or her next three speaking and/or leadership projects.” The person you ask to mentor you will be benefiting, too, by developing their own skills.

Both of you will come back rejuvenated in the spring!

Jodie Sanders, DTM

Photo Credit: Βethan via Compfight cc