President’s Opening Address for 28 Feb 2022 Chapter Meeting – Kampong Ubi Toastmasters Club (by Jun Allego)
Define a HAPPY YOU.
2 days ago I attended a networking session and among other things that were talked about were travelling, food and luxury gifts like watches and bags.
At the end of the session, I walked out feeling that those things can make anyone happy.
Kate, if just for once you can choose to travel anywhere you want without having to worry about time and money. Will that make you ecstatic?
Yetti, as a retiree, if for once you can have a food trail and try all the dishes from different parts of the world including the exotic ones, will that excite you?
Stella, if you are given a free pass and shop for any luxury items without having to worry about who pays the bill, would that mean the world to you?
Without a doubt, any of those can mean a ton of happiness to anyone. However, it’s only fleeting like a thief in the night. The feeling doesn’t last long.
Not to worry, I have an alternative or a proposal for you.
You see, I believe happiness is already inside you.
You don’t need to be anywhere else or have anything else to be happy. All you got to do is to master these 3 fundamental steps.
1. Be GRATEFUL – being grateful for what you have and what you don’t have can shift your emotional state in an instant. For example, if you start your day reminding yourself of the things you’re grateful for, you empower yourself to make everyday a wonderful day.
2. Appreciate – According to social media, we living in Singapore are one of the most depressed people. What I can say is that everywhere you go, you are bound to meet someone who is depressed. And one of the key contributing factors of what these people are going through is expectations. They’re expecting for everything to be right. They’re expecting for those around them to be perfect. As an alternative, you can start your day by looking for something to genuinely appreciate about the day or about someone and say it. Something like, Kate I really like you coming on time for our meeting. It speaks a lot about how much you respect our time.
3. Forgive – holding a grudge is like a rust on metal, slowly it will eat you away. Learn to forgive anyone who may have wronged you. You’ll never know, one day it will be you asking for it.
There you go, ladies and gentlemen. My alternative to HAPPINESS.
It doesn’t require you to be anywhere else or to have something else. And most importantly, we don’t have to break the bank just to be happy.
It only requires you to choose to be GRATEFUL, APPRECIATIVE AND FORGIVING.
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If you want to overcome stage fright and learn to speak with confidence, join a toastmasters club. You are welcome to visit our Kampong Ubi Toastmasters Club if you are living in Singapore.