In the fall of 2011, I attended a workshop in Bucharest with Mike Dooley from The Secret. It was an inspiring workshop with useful tools and an energized atmosphere. Mike was a great speaker and kept reminding us how Toastmasters had made a big difference in his career and true vocation – inspiring people to live the lives of their dreams. Dreams are our driving force, but we need to persevere, improve ourselves, and take one step after another. Ten years later with a successful career as an international speaker, he is still a member of Toastmasters, and he encouraged us to join a club.
Two years later as I was preparing a presentation for the National Conference of the Romanian Coaching Association in Brasov, I felt it was high time to join a club! I grabbed my phone and had a two minute conversation with Rinda Reiss. I attended my first meeting that same evening and was highly impressed by the commitment of the Brasov team, the high standards, and the general feeling of “we reach far and strive to become our best selves.” I realized that after having been a freelancer for two years, I was missing the standardized and structured ways of my former corporate background. The theme of that first meeting was “a risk free playground.” It was exactly what I was looking for. I am looking forward to my membership as a promising learning adventure!
by Laura Ionescu