The Best Decision in my Personal Growth Journey

Taking steps to better oneself, such as by learning new skills or overcoming bad habits is the premise to self-growth.

For self-growth, it is imperative to invest in a self-development program, which equips one with the necessary skills.

The best decision in my personal growth journey was in 2019 when I joined Toastmasters as a member.

A friend used to rave about Toastmasters and how it impacted her personal and professional journey. A year later through a Facebook post, I saw Mariswe and decided to visit and since then I have never looked back.

For many years I have prided myself as a communicator of note but only through my writing skills.

I long convinced myself that I could say anything and everything without uttering a word.

As a writer, I have worked so hard telling stories, albeit, with a pen, but due to my lack of good speaking skills I lost out on opportunities to pitch my ideas and convince brands to work with me.

Since joining Toastmasters, my public speaking skills have improved and I do not get so scared to stand in front of people. Yet before that, speaking in front of people used to make me sweat and get my heart pounding.

At Toastmasters, we get an opportunity to present a speech in front of a sizeable audience. The speech is evaluated and constructive feedback is always relayed.

“At Toastmasters we evaluate the speech and not the speaker!” This statement is true to Mariswe Toastmasters’ ethos. It is not personal; it is about elevating each other.

This has helped me grow in my self-development and leadership journey. I am grateful to Toastmasters for helping me navigate this terrain and for helping me to turn my text into VOICE.

At Toastmasters there is an opportunity to serve in the committee, to volunteer for roles that are available during each meeting such as Timekeeper, Grammarian, or Table Topics Master. This is done in rotation and one gets the opportunity to participate in any of the roles available. I now have the confidence to express myself and I have realized that my voice wields enormous power! Thanks to Toastmasters.

By Mucha Manyengavana, Mariswe Member, Previous SAA

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