Speak To Lead - Issue 03

OFFICIAL NEWSLETTER OF EXPOLANKA TOASTMASTERS CLUBÂ

SPEAK TO LEAD march 2019 | VOLUME 07 |ISSUE 03

CLUB # 02302941 | aREA F2 | DIVISION f |DISTRICT 82

Featuring

TM MOHAMED ALI SHUKRI World Championship of Public Speaking Finalist 2006 One of the "Top Ten Speakers in the World "

DTM SUHITHA KARUNANAYAKE Honored as a Distinguished Toastmaster 2019

AND OUR VERY OWN TOASTMASTERS

02

CONTENT Editorial Message

03

President's Note

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Where Leaders Are Made

05

Expolanka Toastmasters Club

06

District Corner

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Division Corner & Area Corner

08

An Interview with Mohamed Ali Shukri

Club Achievements

13

New Member Corner

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An Evening at the Ports

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VP Education; Better With or Better Without When Moments Change Invisible Fences

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Visitors Remarks

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Stardom; A Race to Victory

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29

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Dates to Remember

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A Trip to Remember

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An Interview with DTM Suhitha Karunanayake 28

Blink, Breathe, Live 30

EDITORIAL MESSAGE

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It is with great pleasure I pen down few words for the third and last newsletter on behalf of Expolanka Toastmasters Club for the Toastmasters year 2018/19. I am so happy to announce that with so much of hard work, dedication and commitment, not only by myself but the entire club members this edition of Speak to Lead, 3rd issue of volume 7 became a reality.

Last time we were privileged by the opportunity to feature TM Josehpine Lee. In this newsletter we have the honor of featuring TM Mohamed Ali Shukri in his visit to Sri Lanka, World Championship of Public Speaking Finalist in year 2006 and one of the top ten speakers in the world. Also this will be featured by our very own DTM Suhitha Karunanayake who has been honored as a Distinguished Toastmaster recently in year 2019 with many other articles of our club members who have been an immense strength to the club in every little way possible.

As usual first I would like to thank the Executive Committee of our club for being behind me through thick and thin in completing the newsletter amidst their busy schedule at work. Subsequently I would to thank all the members in our club and outside the club who have been a helping hand even through a single word for the successful completion of the newsletter. Without the support of all of you this would have been an impossible target for me to achieve.

As the Vice President of Public Relations and the editor of the newsletter I am honored to serve this edition to you and I hope that we were able to provide rich content as per your expectations just like the previous two newsletters with a lot to learn through every article.

Last but not least, Expolanka Toastmasters Club is always open to listen to you and we are awaiting for your feedback on this.

So until we meet again, goodbye for now!

By TM Sameera Dilhan Vice President Public Relations

PRESIDENT'S NOTE

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Penning down the president's note for the Newsletter for the 3rd quarter with the same spirit, closer to the targets we set out to achieve is indeed fulfilling. Our progress towards our targets while maintaining the quality of education is testament to the standards envisioned by our visionary patron, Mr. Hanif Yusoof. Expolanka Toastmasters Club over the past quarter has been challenged mainly by the number of seasoned Toastmasters opting for career opportunities beyond the Expolanka family. The meticulous planning at the beginning of the year however, of the 3 Vice Presidents in particular, has meant that we at Expolanka Toastmasters Club have reformed in terms of our membership experience but continue to live on the incredible standards set by the club. The Club contest for International Speech and Table topics were an astounding success with 3 members from the club progressing towards Area contest on 29th of March. We have also worked towards adding value to the organization with a speech craft programme at Classic Travels and are in the discussion for a youth leadership programme to be carried out for the families.

On our pursuit in achieving all 10DCP points we have made significant progress achieving select distinguished club status working on achieving all 10 points very early next quarter, we are also in line to win the prestigious golden gavel award for the 5th time in our short but illustrious history. The pursuit of awards by the club has not come in at the cost of quality, keeping up with our initial aim of quality educational session, we conducted a session on meeting roles by DTM Yogendraprasath to enlighten our young membership the expectations and benefits. Our Vice President Education has done an incredible service in ensuring a great mix of speeches at the club.

The membership arm of the club has been challenged over the past quarter. However increased membership drives has the club maintaining the base membership. The quality and the commitment to have reflected in the membership with unprecedented number of participants taking part in events beyond the Club. The Club trip to Meemure, the outing and the Joint meeting at the Port of Colombo were such initiatives.

Our Public Relations team has been working efficiently on increasing membership awareness and maintaining the positive image of the club. The major focus over the past quarter has been aiding the membership campaign, attracting new members to the club. So this quarter at Expolanka Toastmasters club has been a challenge seeing a paradigm shift in the experience and the Club culture. However, the spirit of Expolanka Toastmasters Club Shining through the perseverance, quality and the progress of the Club.

By TM Ahmed Abdullah President

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WHERE LEADERS ARE MADE Who We Are Toastmasters International is a world leader in communication and leadership development. Our organization has more than 357,000 memberships.

Members improve their speaking and leadership skills by attending one of the 16,600 clubs in 143 countries that make up our global network of meeting locations.

The world needs leaders. Leaders head families, coach teams, run businesses and mentor others.

These leaders must not only accomplish, they must communicate. By regularly giving speeches, gaining feedback, leading teams and guiding others to achieve their goals in a supportive atmosphere, leaders emerge from the Toastmasters program.

Every Toastmasters journey begins with a single speech. During their journey, they learn to tell their stories. They listen and answer. They plan and lead.

They give feedback—and accept it. Through our community of learners, they find their path to leadership.

Core Values Integrity, Respect, Service, Excellence

Toastmasters International Mission We empower individuals to become more effective communicators and leaders.

District Mission We build new clubs and support all clubs in achieving excellence.

Club Mission We provide a supportive and positive learning experience in which members are empowered to develop communication and leadership skills, resulting in greater self-confidence and personal growth.

For more information visit: https://www.toastmasters.org/

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TM Ahmed Abdullah President mauroofa@expofreight.com

TM Safiya Ismail Vice President Education safiyai@expofreight.com

TM Gazzaly Moulana Vice President Membership gazzalym@expofreight.com

TM Sameera Dilhan Vice President Public Relations sameerad@expofreight.com

TMÂ Sharon Rodrigo Secretary sharonr@expofreight.com

TM Mohamed Mirzan Treasurer mmirzan@expolanka.com

TM Allan Paul Sergeant At Arms allanp@travelbridge,lk

DISTRICT CORNER

07

District 82 – Where we stand to become Distinguished/ Select Distinguished/President Distinguished

Distinguished Clubs – Clubs which achieve 5 or more DCP points and have a minimum member’s base of 20 or clubs which had 14 or less member base as at June 20th 2018, should add 5 members to their base.

DTM Noorul Munawwara District 82 Club Growth Director

DIVISION CORNER

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In this Journey to Fulfillment, we had an absolutely great conference, a conference to remember last time. Now it is the time to have our second and year end conference before Ovation 2019 and Division F is happy to team up with the latest addition to the District, Division join us on the 27th of April from 8.30 am onwards at Center for Banking Studies for an amazing conference experience including 4 contests, great food and 02 very exciting key note speeches. Of course we are exciting to recognize club and its members who have contributed towards the Division for its growth in terms of Education and Leadership.

Remember the date! See you all on the 27th of April.

DTM Zaidh Naushard Division F Director

AREA CORNER It is my pleasure to pen a few words for the final article of Expolanka Toastmasters Club as the Area Director for Area 02, Division F, District 82.

Allow me to begin by congratulating the newest entity to our area, NIBM Toastmasters Club whom have been quite active with club meetings and extracurricular participation at Division and District events after becoming chartered as an official club. More so, what excites me furthermore is the next addition in the pipeline, Renaissance Ceylon Toastmasters Club. It is the newest entity to our area focused as a community club allowing non toastmasters whom do not have the luxury to join a corporate club, to experience toastmasters. The club meets every 01st and 03rd Thursdays from 0600 pm onwards at the Royal College Skill center and it is open to all.

Most of the clubs in the area have shown true colors during this tenure, with some clubs already achieving Distinguished club status. Amana Bank TMC & Expolanka TMC is on the way to achieve Presidents Distinguished status, which is quite admirable.

Currently, I see quite an enthusiasm taking place for the Area International and Table Topic speech contest which is to be scheduled for the 29th of March 2019 at the Union Assurance Auditorium. Area 02 has already produced one Division champion this year, TM Dilan Joseph who will be representing Amana Bank TMC at Ovation 2018/19 for Humorous speech contest. I am optimistic that Area 02 has the potential to produce more Division champions this season as well.

God willingly with the hope of seeing you all at Ovations 2018/19 allow me to sign off.

TM Hisham Yasir Area F2 Director

AN INTERVIEW WITH THE LEGEND, TM MOHAMED ALI SHUKRI

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Mohamed Ali Shukri is an International award-winning speaker, professional trainer and consultant, helping companies and individuals build better communication, positive cultures and innovative performance.

Mohamed is the first Arab to reach to the World Championship of Public Speaking finals in 2006 in Washington DC, where he was titled as one of the “Top Ten Speakers in the World”.

Mohamed’s ONE AND ONLY mission is to help you make a difference in your world by exploring your uniqueness, reaching out to the heart of your message and echoing the message of your heart.

Today we have the honor of featuring him on the third edition of our newsletter in this Toastmaster year.

Q : How did being in the World Championship of Public Speaking final in 2006 feel and tell us about your experience?

It was quite a while and recalling the feelings in details is challenging to say the least. But I can still see flashes of feelings ranged from pride to be the first Toastmaster from the Middle East to reach to the finals, to the feeling of being blessed with so much support, most of it was from former champions and overseas Toastmasters and leaders. There was also a great deal of anxiety that I had to deal with especially in the night before the finals.

Q : Can you brief us on the speech you gave in it and how did you prepare for such a big competition?

The speech in the finals is titled: “Talk To Me” and it’s available on YouTube. The preparation for this particular speech was not smooth nor easy. Due to its uncommon nature and content, practicing it in my home place didn’t receive prevailing impression amongst my home fellow Toastmasters. It wasn’t until I arranged rehearsals to speak for Western audiences, especially Americans that I started to receive reaffirmations that this speech is going to be well accepted in the place I will compete in August 2006.

"I learn from the people that I meet and allow others to learn from me if that is possible."

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Q : How did you feel to become the first Arab to be in the World Championship final?

More than the first Arab, I more looked at it as an achievement for this very small island: Bahrain, where the first Toastmaster club was founded in the whole Middle East back in 1964.

Q : Tell us about your OAO, is there a story as to how you developed the session?

Of course, every keynote speech has to have a compelling story behind the message it delivers. The One And Only program was the result of a turning point incident that took place in 2013.

Q : How does it feel to meet people sharing your knowledge and experience all over the world?

To be precise, what I like about this is that when I meet people who share the same passions, dreams and ambitions.

So knowledge, I learn from the people that I meet and allow others to learn from me if that is possible. But it is all about learning from each other.

Q : As a person who travels around the world to share the knowledge, what has been your best experience so far?

Travelling around the world is indeed a beautiful experience whether it is for speaking or not, there are so many blessings in travelling, meeting people, feeling the unity despite outside differences and more than that. But if you are talking about speaking engagement, actually every experience is the best in one way. So I was in India, Philippine, Malaysia and Saudi Arabia, everyone is the best in one aspect atleast because every experience really resonates and expands to deliver alot of eye opening lessons.

11 Having said that the two unforgettable and deeply impactful experiences that I had were, Vancouver International Convention where I was one of the speakers in 2017 and Ovation, Colombo in 2018.

Q : You came to Sri Lanka for the first time in year 2018 for the Ovation. What do you have to tell about the progress we have made in District 82?

I have only attended one Ovation and I haven’t seen any other District 82 function. But the people who made Ovation, the Toastmasters and the volunteers regardless of District or Non District function, I can see them at every level. Also in every club meeting and every official or non-official event, I can see the great team work, excellence, quality and dedication at all levels. I mean I don’t have to wait for the next Ovation to witness the progress, I do really hope if I can attend each and every Ovation.

Q : How was meeting with members of Expolanka Toastmasters club at Ovation 2018?

Every member and Toastmasters club that I met in Sri Lanka was like family members. I felt at home with each and everyone of them as they gave me special care. However, with Expolanka members I felt the warmth and welcome as they have surrounded me with very close connection. So thank you for approaching and connecting.

Q : You have scheduled to carry out a “Masterclass” in Colombo, what can a participant of the Masterclass expect to experience?

The Masterclass actually combines the top ten secrets to speak from the bottom of your hearts which in reality gathered all what I have learnt, the top ten concepts and major principals through my 30 years of public speaking experience that made the difference in my speaking career.

Q : What advice would you like to leave for the young toastmasters, especially for us at Expolanka Toastmasters Club?

I would say like I started very early in my life, my club wasn’t a Toastmasters club but if there was an opportunity that came to me, I always said, 'yes'. I want every member to say, 'yes' to every opportunity that comes in his or her way, take the lead and accept the challenge.

"I want every member to say, 'yes' to every opportunity that comes in his or her way, take the lead and accept the challenge."

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CLUB ACHIEVEMENTS

TALK UP TOASTMASTERS RIBBON for adding five new, dual or reinstated members From October 1st to March 30th

MEMBER ACHIEVEMENTS DTM Suhitha Karunanayake DTM

TM Sharon Rodrigo CC and ALB

TM Shamayl Saheedullah CC

DTM Zaidh Naushard Pathways L-02

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NEW MEMBER CORNER

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In the dawn of 2019, I have made very important New Year resolutions. One of my major New Year resolutions was to overcome the fear of public speaking. Whereas joining Toastmasters was the best decision I’ve ever made after I joined Expolanka.

On my very first day, I remember I only wanted to attend the meeting, because I was introvert who had never been to a Toastmaster meeting before. I remember like yesterday, walking in to my first Toastmaster meeting. The meeting room was full of positive energy and encouragement which represented the vibrant and uplifting culture in Expolanka. One thing I saw from each member was, they were friendly, helpful and sometimes they share their life experiences with lot of advices. Also members were enjoying the meeting, motivating others by cheering them which helped us also to forget fear and put a smile on our face.

Joining Toastmasters at Expolanka assisted me to get to know lot of people and the club helped me to build up confidence by assigning two roles as the Timer and Ah counter. Being the Timer of the day has taught me to manage time during a meeting. And the role of Ah counter has improved the way I observe.

Being involved in role playing has aided me to forget my fear of speaking, gradually enhance my vocabulary, listening, time management and leadership skills. Also on the other side it helped to familiarize with the club procedures and activities. As a new beginner, it is a motivation when I see improvement in myself and I enjoy participating each meeting.

TIMER OF THE DAY

AH COUNTER OF THE DAY

TM Kavya Reshani

AN EVENING AT THE PORT

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‘Amidst the harbour and amongst the waters, an amazing evening coloured with the marine'ish ambience.’ It was a joint meeting that marked the collaboration of Expolanka Toastmasters Club and Sri Lanka Ports Authority Toastmasters Club for the very first time. It was an evening that began with the essence of hospitality spread by the Toastmasters at the port towards the Toastmasters from Expolanka. We were provided with the opportunity to journey into the terminals of the port with an exemplifying reality, diving deep into the wisdom in the waters. Such an amazing luck indeed. The journey started from Jaya terminal, followed by a quick site visit towards the ongoing yard projects with all the reefers and tankers in sight. That was a wonderful beginning to a vibrant meeting.

The meeting was held at the administration building located at the Jaya terminal. As we proceeded into the meeting forum, we were warmly welcomed with some refreshments along with some warm up introduction in order to make ourselves comfortable amongst each other and into the meeting room that was formally set having the positive vibes flowing around freely. The atmosphere was formal yet comfortable. The clock struck the sixth hour in the evening and the meeting kicked off with the presidents taking over the controls of their respective clubs. TM Ahmed Abdullah and TM Nimesha Indika came together to kick-start the meeting as the presidents of the clubs with the formal proceedings being conducted garnished with the promise practiced by the members at ports. The controls and the proceedings were then handed over to the Toastmaster of the day TM Aboobucker Raza who continued from that moment. It was 'The Ovation 2019' that this meeting revolved around and so did the TMOD. He introduced his energetic team for the day that helped him align himself with the meeting better. TM Nisansala Liyanapathirana, TM Eranga Sampath, TM Thiwanka Premathilake and TM Chirantaka Halpe being the Timer, Ah Counter, Grammarian and General Evaluator respectively.

16 A quick Round Robin session was conducted by TM Zavia Mizkin in order to warm up the formality in the air and to spice up the interaction. The meeting got crispier with the prepared speech session where the speeches were given out by TM Chirantaka Halpe, TM Pradeep and DTM Zaidh Naushard in order. Thought provoking, Insightful and enlightening were the words to describe their speeches respectively. Indeed a fantabulous session. The knowledge that was received on the Ovation 2019 was immense throughout the meeting which helped us to better understand the concept and the event. This was followed by table topics session which was conducted by TM Pushpika Suranga and evaluated by TM Sameera Dilhan. The number of sessions that this meeting was split into were multiplied every time with a powerful perception on the theme of the day. The meeting then went on with the general evaluator performing his role in evaluating the evening. And now the final moments of the meeting were here where both the presidents were given the control back by the TMOD and the duo concluded the meeting by making the closing remarks. It was an opportunity that will be cherished by each and everyone who attended the meeting. An unforgettable day indeed.

Written by TM Raza Idris

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VP EDUCATION BETTER WITH OR BETTER WITHOUT? Definitely a title ‘Better With’ since you get to go for Ovation for free!! At least in our club đ&#x;˜Š.

Having said that if I am to pen down a few words of the experience I gained as the VP Education of Expolanka Toastmasters club, it surely has been an amazing journey until a member calls up and say, ‘I am sorry I won’t be able to do my speech or role today since I got that and this’. Nevertheless, that is a challenge we all face in this position isn’t it? So, I’ll just leave that out for the moment.

However, when I was offered this position by my president I was definitely not sure if I wanted to take it up due to a personal commitment, but I knew I wanted to experience it some day as it seemed to be interesting amidst the many adverse comments you may hear from various members. And did I know that this little ‘yes’ (of course to take up the role) to my president would help me be a better version of my self which led to having fun in planning meetings instead of stressing about it over the days.

Just like an evaluator would do, allow me to give some tips which will help you out just in case you are on the fence in deciding about taking up the role for the next term. ¡ Firstly, just love what you are getting in to VP Education is indeed in charge of planning a meeting. And this needs to be done twice a month in most scenarios. And if you are not willing to do it then there is no way you are going to like it, but keep stressing about it over time. ¡ Have a clear plan Well in my case, we had an excel sheet where we jotted down everything we are going to do for all the meetings, along with who will we be targeting for the awards ( since we decided to go for it) , the prospective members who would be taking up the meeting roles and a tracker to track the progress of how far we have come and what else needs to be achieved.

And of course, this was reviewed by the help of the EC every month.

18 ¡ Have your back ups Sometimes things does not go as you planned it would. Hence its always better to have at least two back ups for every meeting just in case a member does not show up for the given role or speech.

Which will help in a way to also bring in more members and turn a low turn out meeting to a high turn up meeting. ¡ Ask for comments It is always good to hear from the attendees as to where we could improve and what we as a club has done well towards maintaining high standards of the club.

In my case, my president did this for me end of every meeting. And specially through the MOT session we knew where we need to improve on.

Which gave us more room to think more creatively on how we could bring more glamour to every meeting and plan our next steps accordingly which has definitely worked well for me. ¡ Most importantly have fun Because by the end of the day, when you see a successful meeting ending and receiving good comments you have to be proud of your self and your EC for the commitment put towards it amidst the busy schedule. And having to keep stressing about is just no good than doing it with a happy heart đ&#x;˜Š.

So coming to the topic, the role/title of a VP Education for me was always a ‘Better With’ after your name since it is surely a role which needs to be experienced at any point of your toastmasters journey. And I hope it will be the same with you!

Until Next Time,

By TM Safiya Ismail

DATES TO REMEMBER Meeting # 164 : 10th April 2019 Meeting # 165 : 24th April 2019 Meeting # 166 : 8th May 2019

Meeting # 167 : 29th May 2019

Meeting # 168 : 12th June 2019

Meeting # 169 : 26th June 2019

TOASTQUIZ WINNERS

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WHEN MOMENTS CHANGE

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At times we realize the gravity of someone’s situation only when we have to go through a similar situation. It’s easy to comment on someone’s work and say that it is not up to standard. However only when one day you would have to do something similar you tend to realize how much effort is required do deliver even a simple output. It is natural that people tend to come into conclusions by the faces of what they see, however it is more important that your reaction or expression should be calculated before it is expressed.

Back in 2004 when our country was struck by the tsunami it resulted in me and my family to just live with basics and at times without even having proper food. This was indeed eye opening as things took a turn over a matter of seconds. Likewise today when we here of people who are undergoing tough conditions it makes me feel that I need to do something rather than leaving it to be handled by someone else. My experience makes me realize how much hardship one will have to go through when moments change.

At times the outcome of someone’s reaction to a situation could result in damages that are irreversible. And the reason would simply be because of not understanding to handle the moment that has changed. Whereas they realize later on that only if they had paused and thought through the moment they could have reacted in a way that would have eased the situation and would be better on the long run. For an example if your child has not scoured a sufficient mark for the exams, the best way would be to acknowledge their hard work and motivate them to do better within their capabilities for the next exam. Whereas a different approach such as blaming them could lead the child being demotivated and stressed, that would have negative results on the long run. Therefore it is always best that we assess the moment that changes and leave spaces for possible reasons to an outcome rather than jump into conclusions.

During our day we would have to face different situations with those whom we move with.

At times it would be good to get into “some ones shoe” before we come into conclusions.

The common phrase “Never judge a book by its cover” would ideally sum all the explanation above.

TM Shamayil Saheedullah

21

STARDOM; A RACE TO VICTORY

'A stage of stars, A podium of class' The door to the greatest opportunities leading to the stairs that reach the greatest heights opens at Toastmasters International with the announcement of the International speech contest. Every club around the globe grabs this opportunity to prove their credibility at communication and leadership which begins with the contest at the club level. Each individual from the club wears the cloak to compete against one another in order to climb those stairs, one step at a time. At Expo Lanka, we witnessed numerous participants wearing the cloak of competition. Four of them were able to outstand the rest with their remarkable performances, two each for Table Topics and International Speech contest. Yes, the contest is split into two. TM Lakshimaal and TM Thiwanka were able to take home the trophy for speech contest and table topics contest respectively while TM Ahmed Abdullah followed the winners with a marginal mark range, being able to take home dual trophies of first runner up for both the contests. TM Thiwanka Premathilake & TM Sameera Dilhan were just behind them with a very close demarcation between the winners and the runners up. TM Lakshimaal, TM Thiwanka & TM Ahmed were able to prove themselves credible enough to proceed to the next stage, the Area level contest.

The Area level contest would witness a vivid blend of contestants coming in from different clubs from the respective area and this would be a stage of decision towards the next level of the competition, the divisional level. The divisional stage would invite a further drill down of participants, amalgamating the exceptional contestants from all the areas falling under the division. We have already proceeded to the second stage of the contest and with the hopes high, selection into the division would not be a 'mission impossible'. The divisions would then race towards the district level contest. The district level contest for district 82 that we fall under will be the ‘Ovation 2019’ which would be held at Chennai Trade Center. A grand affair with sublime grandeur.

"It was my first time to participate in both International Speech & Table Topics club competitions. The experience was really encouraging. My main focus was on Table Topics as I always believed that impromptu speaking would aid me to become a better communicator. Therefore, I practiced table topics whenever possible. For that, my mentor TM Hisham’s feedbacks were really helpful. Being able to compete with experienced contestants like TM Lakshimaal & TM Ahmed was the best part of the International Speech Competition. Overall, the contest was a value addition for my journey as a speaker. Hoping to do a good job at the Area contest."

TM Thiwanka Premathilaka

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And finally the optimistic vision at Expo Lanka Toastmasters would allow us to foresee the possibility to reach the Oscars for us toastmasters at the final stage of International speech contest. This is the same stage that has given us world class speakers, Ramona Smith, Darren Lacroix, Mohomed Qahtani and many more. The stage that brings together a galaxy of stars and the best of speakers from around the world. The stage that manages to take Toastmasters International into a whole new level. Wouldn't it be a treat for us Toastmasters, if one of us is able to bring that pride to our club? A world class speaker? Well, here we are, having our faith and trust strongly upon the contestants who have already stepped up with the conclusion of the club level contest and into the area level. Are we ready?

"Contesting for the second time this year was a rather very interesting and a great experience. Humbled by being able to be placed in both contests this season.

Contesting against a healthy mix of experienced and new Toastmasters was rather enlightening. Having been selected to progress beyond the club in both contests, I definitely look forward to go for the win."

TM Ahmed Abdullah

INVISIBLE FENCES

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In the book, The Light in the Heart - Roy T Bennett says, “Believe in your infinite potential, your only limitations are those you set upon yourself”.

How many of you have been to a temple or even to Pinnawella, where they have elephants tied to their post with the aid of a large rope, seeing that I have always wondered as to why this elephant, who is a giant animal with mountain of strength, does not just give that rope a slight tug and free itself from the bondage. But it does nothing and continue to just stand there. Why is this? It is because when the elephant was very small, they used to tie him with that same large rope, and in the beginning the elephant would pull and tug and push with all its might with the aim of freeing itself from the bondage but because it is small and his strength has not still fully developed, it would fail time and time again. The elephant accepts that the string is much too strong for it and with time the elephant gives up. And he stops trying.

In animal training schools, they use a similar concept that they refer to as an invisible fences. This system sets an invisible boundary that the cats and dogs can’t get past. They initially introduce a fence and mark a limitation beyond which the animal cannot pass and eventually the animal becomes conditioned that they cannot move pass the fence, and after some time the trainer removes the fence, but due to the initial conditioning of the animal it does not past beyond that boundary even after the fence has been taken out.

The animal sets up an imaginary limitation that determines its plight.

Just like these animal that I just spoke about, we too have false assumption on our capabilities, which become our invisible fences, that stops us from reaching our fullest potential. When we come across them in our day to day lives we simply retreat. We assume these invisible fences are real and we back off…

Let’s first look and see how these invisible fences are conditioned into our minds.

The first point is “Our Upbringing”.

From the time we come into this world, we create certain believes based on the beliefs and behavior of our parents and these believes get conditioned into our mind as if they are true…

These beliefs may not have any base or truth to it but, it has the power to limit us if we allow it to.

The second is “Opinion of other People”.

As humans, all of us surcome to peer pressures all the time, although what another person thinks of you may not have any effect on us in reality, it affects us mentally if we allow it, and it restricts us from achieving great success that we are capable of.

24 I have seen videos of Nick Vujicic, a man who has no hands or legs, live an amazing life, having a family, a career and taking part in adventure like scuba diving, swimming in the ocean and so many other activities.

Albert Einstein, who is one of the greatest thinkers and inventors of our time was known to be dyslexic.

The Beatles, who is one of the greatest bands of all time was told their music was bad.

The third point is "Comfort Zones".

At some point in our life we become comfortable and content with our life and the way things are going that we stop pushing our self to achieve anything more, we assume that we have reached our peak and that we cannot achieve anymore and hold our selves back from taking the next step or any risks.

The fourth and the most impactful point is "Our very own Personal Self-limiting Belief".

This is the most impactful point, because if you believe you cannot do a certain task, you will never try.

If you think you can’t run a marathon, you’ll never push yourself to start training, you’ll limit your body by your minds perception. If you think you can’t start a new career in a creative field, you’ll overlook opportunities to strengthen your craft and potentially earn from it.

Doing what you want to do starts with believing its possible, no matter how difficult it may be.

Because Mohammad Ali didn’t become the greatest boxer of all time by believing it was easy, instead he pushed pass the pain and frustration, forging his mind so that he can surpass his limitations.

I urge all of you, do not accept these limitation that we have conditioned into our minds due to our upbringing, opinion of other people, comfort zones & our very own self-limiting beliefs. Don’t let your capabilities and potential be blocked by these invisible fences that we have set for ourselves.

Instead, be aware of them, observe them, question them, challenge them, confront these invisible fences, rather than running away from it….

Don’t let your mind define you!

You are so much greater and much more capable than what you think you are!!!

TM Sharon Rodrigo

AN INTERVIEW WITH OUR VERY OWN, DTM SUHITHA KARUNANAYAKE

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DTM Suhitha Karunanayake initiated his Toastmasters journey 7 years back and with his continuous hard work and commitment, he achieved the honor of becoming a Distinguished Toastmaster making Expolanka Toastmasters Club proud again.

So we sat with DTM Suhitha Karunanayake for an insight through his long road to become a Distinguished Toastmaster and his Toastmasters journey.

Q : How long have you been with ETMC and what was the most memorable meeting out of it?

I have been a Toastmaster for 7 years & the most memorable one would be the meeting which I was able to get the Golden Gavel Plus Award for the club for the second year consecutively in my president year.

Q : Becoming a DTM is one of the biggest achievements that you can achieve in Toastmasters. How do you feel now?

It was a long journey with lot of hardships. But the beauty of it is the family of Expolanka Toastmasters who was there with me through thick and thin. If not for the effort and the help of each member of the club, it would have still be a dream and because of that I am humbly proud of it.

Q : ETMC is the place that you have grown as a Toastmaster. How do you feel to

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leave the Club after so many years?

Saying good bye at the last meeting was one of the toughest days of my life simply because Expolanka Toastmasters made me the person who I am today and I owe that to my club. I always say this, once an Expolankian you will always be an Expolankian. That will never change.

“Toastmasters is the place for you to learn and grow and become a better human being.

Simple terms, Toastmasters is my second home.”

Q : Tell us about the challenges you have met in this journey to become a DTM. The journey to become a DTM is similar to how you achieve your success in life. The formula is the same through hard work, dedication and commitment only you can become a DTM. For me it was always not about whether becoming a DTM in this many or that many years. I simply wanted to learn and become a better person and a better leader. Once you get your priorities in place, the journey becomes easier. Of course you will hit a brick wall now and then but the beauty of the fraternity is there which will be enough of people to pick you up and help you to go your journey.

Q : The word ‘Toastmasters’, what is that meant to you in your life?

Toastmasters is the place for you to learn and grow and become a better human being.

Simple terms, Toastmasters is my second home.

Q : As a person who has many achievements at work and as well as Toastmasters, what kind of advice you can give on work life balance?

First of all what you need to understand is overthinking about the word itself might get you in to trouble. Its should be a simple theory if you want to be balance in both. When you get to office, leave back all your worries from the door that you come in and vise versa, when you go back home to your loved ones, leave back all your office problems at your office desk.

And when it comes to Toastmasters, don’t practice it as a burden but do it with passion and eager to learn. Then you will see the beauty of it.

Q : As a DTM, what do you suggest to

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improve Toastmasters in District 82 further?

My personal view is that Toastmasters should be taken to the community in a broader scale and also to corporates. Continuous sharing of the knowledge of Toastmasters around the country will see more people joining the fraternity. Also proper mechanism should be there to help and uplift corporate clubs since we see a lot of corporate clubs die after forming which is sad to see. Without waiting for them to die everyone should come together to uplift clubs that needed help.

Q : What is next for DTM Suhitha Karunanayake?

Next would be to help the Toastmaster’s fraternity and share my knowledge for the betterment of the organization.

Q : Finally, what is the message that you would like to leave to all of us at ETMC? We all are lucky to be a part of one of the prestige's corporate clubs in Sri Lanka and we should always be humbly proud of it. Work and help the members in every way you can to uplift the club, so that others may follow you to become Toastmasters. No matter what, don’t forget where you started your journey from which is ETMC. I wish all the members a superb year ahead and never forget I will always be a Expolanka Toastmaster where ever the place I be .

“Once an Expolankian you will always be an Expolankian. That will never change.”

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A TRIP TO REMEMBER

BLINK, BREATHE, LIVE

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“In nature, light creates the color. In picture, color creates the light.”

In the present, environment has been a great cause of concern by the modern world, due to the negativity spread by the improper handling of the things that diminish the nature's secrets of originality and vigor. The pain of the trees has been left unnoticed and the cries of the planet earth have been ignored. The houses of the creatures have been chopped off in order to build our homes and the happiness of the innocent creatures have been compromised in order to pave the way to our happiness, which is why we suffer more than we live in peace. Their curse has caused the illnesses to enter the Earth to destroy humans.

Humans are literate yet obscene, civilized yet selfish. Today we live in an era of sublime and grandeur, but how is it assembled? By destroying the nature with the impurity of human thoughts, which flow right from the mind and into the process of deforestation. Why are we being so ruthless in respecting the reason of our existence?

The petrichor of rain, the soothing sound of drizzle, the passionate crackling of thunder and the freshness of the rainfall which rejuvenates the environment is yet again on stake due to the preposterous industrial hazards. The beauty of the nature is eliminated due to the environmental degradation, the fragrance in the fresh air is peeled off by the odor of smoke and the purity of lakes and rivers has been wiped out due to the negative impact of pollution.

The earth shall become disastrous, swimming in the oceans shall become impossible, the existence of trees shall become a story, lakes and rivers shall become a history, cleanliness shall become a dream, Impure lands shall become a reality, Long life shall become a hope, disease free life shall become a wish, Animals and Birds shall become memories and Greenery shall become an imagination if we leave the pleas of people unattended, if we still ignore the voice of nature, if we keep axing off the trees, if we don’t stop poisoning the water and if we still continue to pollute the environment. Let's go green, become environment-friendly and eradicate pollution. Let's come together against this destruction in order to safeguard the Earth because that's how the Earth shall become a better place to live, love and survive.

By TM Raza Idris

VISITORS REMARKS

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Dear Members of Expolanka Toastmasters Club, Thank you for having me at your meeting today. I really enjoyed. It was so nice to see so much positive energy in a corporate club. Keep up the great work and produce more and more great speakers to Toastmasters.

TM Ashinsanie Weerasinghe

Expolanka Toastmasters Club is a place I always feel welcomed to. I was a part of the trip to Meemure, loved every minute of the trip. Thank you for having me. Always a pleasure to be here.

TM Tariq Shabbir Dole

The quality of the speeches at Expolanka Toastmasters Club is Incredible. Energetic meeting. Very excited to be at the Club after a very long period.

TM Samantha Lakmahal

Expolanka Toastmasters Club is a place that encourages learning. Loved the very first meeting I was part of. Amazing and friendly crowd.

TM Anushka Senadheera

The people here are very friendly. Nice speeches, enjoyed being at the Club.

Taniya Wijerathne

DO GET IN TOUCH WITH US...

Meet us every 2nd and 4th Wednesday From 06 Pm onwards, at Expolanka Holdings, 15A Clifford Avenue, Colombo 03, Sri Lanka Follow us on , expolanka_toastmasters Expolanka_TMC Expolanka Toastmasters E mail us on : toastmasters@expolanka.com Call us on, Ahmed Abdullah : +94750507272 Sharon Rodrigo : +94777538999

"It's always so great to see you, Lets keep in touch"

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EXPOLANKA TOASTMASTERS CLUB TRANSFORMING CATERPILLARS INTO BUTTERFLIES, ONE ROLE AT A TIME!