Post by Alina Kunji

Shaking hands, inviting people in, and showing up with a warm smile… that’s all I thought I had to do. 👀 Funny enough, it turned out to be more than enough. The way people encouraged me, you’d think I did something extraordinary. 🥹 Huge thank you to my Area Director Vishvaja Faldesai, my adorable Chief Judge Juan Vas, my VP-ED Vedha, my co-host Amisa Menezes (learning so much from you always!), and the amazing contestants who made this experience unforgettable. 🤍 I had the privilege of being the contest chair for both the International Speech Contest and Table Topics for Area F5, District 125 Toastmasters . ✨ What the International Speech Contest really teaches you: • Before you inspire others, you learn to inspire yourself, it pushes you to understand your own story • You don’t just speak to impress; you speak to give something back to the world • Courage isn’t something you’re born with; you build it, one step on stage at a time And from the “think-on-your-feet” chaos of Table Topics: • Clarity beats cleverness, every single time • Confidence is built in uncomfortable, unscripted moments • Trust yourself your mind knows more than you think it does And no… being a Contest Chair doesn’t mean I became a chair 😂 It really means: • Trying to stay calm so others can do their best • Taking care of small details behind the scenes • Helping the event come together, one step at a time Still taking it all in… but if there’s one thing I know growth lives outside your comfort zone. Go visit your nearest Toastmasters International club… who knows, you might just be the next CHAIR. 👀😂 #Toastmasters #PublicSpeaking #Leadership #CommunicationSkills #PersonalGrowth #LearningByDoing #StepOutOfYourComfortZone #SpeakWithConfidence #GrowthJourney #YoungLeaders #FromHandshakeToLeadership #NotJustAChair