- Golden Gate Toastmasters Dispatch
- Posts
- 👀 What Happens When You Stop Worrying What Others Think?
👀 What Happens When You Stop Worrying What Others Think?
📅 Wednesday, March 4, 2026 | ⏱️ ~4 min read | 🎤 Theme: March Into Action
Irene Suwarno, Club Secretary
March 09, 2026
"True growth begins when we take the initiative to step onto the stage — even when we worry about how we might look." 🌱
🚀 March Into Action: Time to Step Forward
Michelle Wen, VP Education and Interim President, warmly welcomed members and guests and opened the meeting with a reflection on New Year’s resolutions — and how those goals are progressing.
Members and guests shared encouraging updates: Benny has stayed committed to the gym, Colin is preparing for a bike race, Annie has been building strength through weight training, and Emerald recently returned to the gym. Others spoke about reducing screen time, eating breakfast consistently, or simply enjoying the energy of city life.
🎤 Toastmaster for the Evening: Juan Basulto
Juan Basulto guides the meeting as Toastmaster of the Evening, encouraging members to take action on their goals.
Guiding the meeting with focus and energy, Toastmaster Juan Basulto introduced the evening’s theme: March Into Action.
As the month marks a transition toward spring, Juan reminded members that March is the perfect moment to revisit New Year’s resolutions — or begin again with renewed determination.
Although the meeting was slightly shorter due to club business, Juan encouraged everyone to make the most of every opportunity to grow through speeches, evaluations, and participation in the Toastmasters Pathways program.
His message was simple and timely: momentum begins with action.
🎤 Prepared Speeches
Alexander Wu — “Turtles” 🏆
Alex Wu shares a humorous and thoughtful lesson from the slopes of Lake Tahoe. 🏂️
Alex Wu delivered a memorable and humorous speech about an unexpected lesson learned on the snowy slopes of Lake Tahoe.
After deciding not to wear his protective snowboard pads — called his “turtles” 🐢 — Alex suffered a painful fall that could have easily been avoided. The real lesson, however, wasn’t about snowboarding gear. It was about the subtle pressure we feel when worrying about what others might think.
Through his story, Alex reminded us that growth often requires letting go of self-consciousness. Whether it’s wearing protective gear, enjoying a song others consider childish, or stepping up to speak at Toastmasters, progress comes when we stop letting judgment hold us back.
Life is too short to let fear of judgment stop us from doing what helps us grow.
Irene Suwarno — “When London Called” 🇬🇧
Irene Suwarno answers the call of adventure, sharing how a solo trip to London became a story of courage, curiosity, and connection.
Irene took the audience on a journey through her solo trip to London — a city that had quietly been calling her for years. From navigating tipping customs and mastering a clever “pub strategy” for restrooms, to unexpected encounters that turned into moments of connection, the trip unfolded with humor, tension, and reflection. Along the way, Irene discovered that traveling alone doesn’t mean being alone — and sometimes, when opportunity calls, you simply have to answer. ☎️
💬 Table Topics: Personal Growth & Facing Challenges
Table Topics Master Gautam Nair challenged speakers to think about growth, resilience, and the choices that shape our future.
The evening opened with a question about perspective: If your future self 20 years from now could speak to you today, what advice would they give? Shubham reflected on living fully in the present, taking pride in courageous steps like practicing public speaking, and not taking life too seriously.
Speakers continued exploring personal growth in different ways. Vedant shared honest strategies for preventing burnout while balancing the demands of a new job, including evening workouts and setting boundaries around work hours. Helen reflected on her personal theme for the year — “Focus and Flourish” — as she seeks a career that brings deeper purpose and motivation. Ella shared a powerful story about overcoming financial barriers to attend UC Berkeley, describing how each step forward moved the goalposts of what she believed was possible. Mike closed with a thoughtful reflection on mentorship, sharing his admiration for Mother Teresa and the compassion she embodied.
Blair delivered the winning Table Topics speech with a powerful reflection on building the habit of standing up for oneself. 🏆
Growing up reserved, Blair described a recent shift toward greater self-advocacy — pushing back against workplace pressure, challenging a health insurance scam, and even negotiating lease terms using rent-control laws. With humor and confidence, Blair shared excitement about continuing to strengthen this habit and facing future challenges head-on.
Sometimes the boldest action is simply speaking up.
🎯 Evaluations
Blair Vorsatz — Alex 🏆
Blair evaluated Alex’s speech with thoughtful insights, praising its courage, relatability, and clear structure. Blair highlighted three strengths: Alex’s ability to connect emotionally with the audience, deliver a relatable message, and guide listeners through a well-organized story.
For continued improvement, Blair suggested leading with the central message earlier, being more selective with elements like music and props, and sharpening the focus on the main takeaway. Blair concluded by commending Alex for delivering a captivating and memorable speech.
Ryan Davis — Irene
Ryan commended Irene for her engaging speech, highlighting the creative connection she made between Harry Potter and the iconic London telephone booth. He appreciated the vivid language and the way the story flowed smoothly from one moment to the next, noting how refreshing it was compared to the repetitive nature of everyday news.
Ryan also offered thoughtful suggestions for continued growth, encouraging Irene to explore perspectives from a wider range of people in her storytelling and to incorporate more impromptu speaking moments. He concluded by congratulating Irene on a strong speech and applauding her performance.
Helen Fream — General Evaluator
Helen Fream delivers the General Evaluation, highlighting the evening’s strengths and encouraging members to help keep meetings running smoothly.
Helen praised the strong turnout of guests and the thoughtful, open-ended Table Topics questions that encouraged meaningful responses. She reminded members that with a club of over 60 members, filling meeting roles should be easier and encouraged everyone to sign up early to help meetings run smoothly.
She closed on a light note, sharing that Irene’s speech about London made her feel a little homesick.
🏆 Celebrating the Night’s Standouts
Congratulations to our meeting award winners — Alexander Wu and Blair Vorsatz. 🎉
🥇 Best Prepared Speech: Alexander Wu
🥇 Best Evaluator & Best Table Topics: Blair Vorsatz
🌟 New Member Spotlight
Becca Ziegler
 Welcome to GGTM, Becca Ziegler! | What made you interested in joining Golden Gate Toastmasters? |
What topics might you like to speak about? No worries if you don't know yet!
I’m especially interested in exploring philosophical or psychological ideas in my speeches. I may also experiment with storytelling. While I don’t consider myself a natural storyteller yet, I admire friends who are great at it and see Toastmasters as a great opportunity to grow in that area.
Anything else you’d like us to know about you?
Nothing in particular — just excited to be here! 😊
Ryan Davis
 | What made you interested in joining Golden Gate Toastmasters?
|
💡 Skill Builder Spotlight
Build Your Speaking Confidence
Confidence in public speaking doesn’t come from guessing how well we did — it comes from preparation, feedback, and reflection.
Before speaking, practice out loud, not just in your head. Speaking aloud helps you catch unclear wording, awkward transitions, and areas that need simplifying. Instead of relying on a mirror, ask others for specific feedback on your message and clarity.
During your speech, ignore the inner voice of doubt. Nervousness simply means the moment matters. Look instead for real audience signals like smiles, nods, and applause.
Afterward, ask what listeners remembered most and what could be clearer. Each speech becomes practice for the next — and confidence grows with every opportunity to speak.
ℹ️ Source: “Build Your Speaking Confidence,” by Joel Schwartzberg, Toastmasters International Magazine.
📣 What’s Next at GGTM
Join Us at Our Next Meeting
📅 When: Wednesday, March 11, 2026 | 6:00–8:00 PM
📍 Where: San Francisco Chamber of Commerce 235 Montgomery St, 7th Floor, San Francisco
🎤 Area Speech Contest — March 22
We’re excited to host the Area Speech Contest on Saturday, March 22 and are looking for volunteers:
• Voting Judges (Level 2+ completed, not competing)
• Timers
• Ballot Counters
🕐 Briefing: 1:15 PM (in person preferred)
Interested? Please complete the survey or contact Michelle Wen, Area Contest Chair.
🤝 Mentorship Opportunity
We’re looking for mentors! If you’ve been a member for over a year, consider supporting fellow members.
Sign up on the website or email us.
More details coming soon from VPE Albert Yan.
💚 Thank You
A special thank you to Toastmaster Juan Basulto for guiding the meeting and Table Topics Master Gautam Nair for leading an engaging impromptu speaking session. We also appreciate our speakers, evaluators, functionaries, and guests who helped make the evening meaningful and memorable.
🍺 The Conversation Continues
Marching into happy hour — with Alex’s turtle joining the celebration. 🐢
Questions? Feedback? Email us at [email protected] — we'd love to hear from you!