"I once feared the sound of my own voice. But today, I stand here-speaking not just with confidence, but with purpose."

"There were two powerful days in my life-the day I was born, and the day I realized why." For me, that second day came in April 2024-the day I officially began my journey with Toastmasters International. It was more than just joining a club. It was a declaration-a quiet but determined whisper to the universe:

"One day, I will become an international speaker. One day, I will inspire lives not just through medicine, but through words." That dream had lived within me for years, nestled somewhere between heartbeats and hospital rounds. By profession, I am a medical doctor. My days are filled with stethoscopes, diagnoses, and healing physical pain. But deep inside, I always longed to heal something more-the fear, the silence, the hesitation within myself.

Let me take you back to October 2018. I joined an international public speaking club-not Toastmasters, but a step in the right direction. I was shy, soft-spoken, and terrified of public speaking. My hands would sweat, my voice would shake, and my mind would go blank at the very thought of facing an audience. But I joined anyway.

Because somewhere deep down, I believed that transformation begins with discomfort. I knew that if I didn't confront my fear, I would remain its prisoner.

Unfortunately, life had a different plan. The pandemic hit. COVID-19 shut down not just cities and borders-it shut down dreams, gatherings, and connections. The club stopped meeting, and just like that, my speaking journey paused.

But here's the truth I now know with clarity: Dreams don't die. They wait. They wait for the right time, the right place, and the right version of you to show up.

In April 2024, I joined Gandaki Toastmasters Club. That moment felt like picking up a book I had left unread for years, only to realize the best chapters were yet to come. From the very first meeting, I felt something different. There was energy, support, and most importantly-no judgment. I could be vulnerable. I could make mistakes. I could stumble, and instead of laughter, I was met with encouragement.

Toastmasters is not just about public speaking. It's about personal growth in the safest space imaginable. It's a place where people from all walks of life-engineers, students, homemakers, entrepreneurs, and yes, even doctors-come together with one common goal: to become better versions of themselves.

What makes Toastmasters so magical? It's the universality. It's the structure. Every meeting is designed to build confidence, critical thinking, and leadership. Whether you're delivering a prepared speech, evaluating a peer, or speaking off-the-cuff in Table Topics, you're training your mind to be calm, clear, and charismatic under pressure.

It's the community. Toastmasters is full of people who are not here to judge you-but to uplift you. Each speaker, no matter how experienced, once started where you are. That shared journey creates a bond that is rare and beautiful.

It's the permission to fail. Where else are you allowed-even encouraged-to mess up? To forget your lines? To pause awkwardly? And yet, to still be celebrated because you showed up and tried? In this room, every failure is a stepping stone to greatness.

I've seen people walk into our club trembling with fear and walk out with sparkling eyes and standing ovations. I've seen introverts find their voices. I've seen leaders emerge from silence. And most importantly, I've seen myself-transforming. Toastmasters has taught me that you don't need to be perfect to inspire. You just need to be honest, authentic, and willing to grow.

As a medical doctor, I've always believed in the power of healing. But Toastmasters taught me that healing isn't just about the body-it's also about the mind, the soul, and the self-image we carry inside. When I deliver a speech now, I'm not just sharing ideas-I'm sharing myself. And with each word I speak, a new layer of confidence is born.

Today, I lead better. I listen better. I communicate with more clarity. Whether it's delivering a medical presentation, consoling a worried patient, or motivating a team-my voice now carries confidence, compassion, and conviction. And all this is thanks to a platform that gives people the courage to rise, again and again.

I'll never forget the time I delivered my first speech at Gandaki Toastmasters. My voice trembled. My thoughts wandered. But at the end of those seven minutes, I received not silence, but applause-not critique, but encouragement. That applause became the wind beneath my wings.

You see, we don't just come here to learn how to speak. We come here to find our voice.

We come here to:

Turn fear into fuel.

Turn silence into speeches.

Turn doubts into declarations.

My biggest takeaway? It's not about how perfect your speech is. It's about how powerfully you show up.And so, to anyone sitting here wondering if they're good enough, bold enough, brave enough-I say this: Yes, you are.

If I, a shy doctor afraid of public speaking, can become a confident communicator, so can you. Let Toastmasters be your launching pad. Let it be your rehearsal space for life. Let it be the place where your voice finally learns to sing.

As I continue my journey, my dream of becoming an international speaker feels no longer distant-it feels inevitable. I've seen people walk into this room afraid to speak-and walk out transformed, empowered, renewed.

So what changed for me?

I no longer fear the stage-I own it.

I no longer hide my ideas-I share them.

I no longer doubt my dream-I live it.

My message to you today is this:

If you've ever felt like your voice doesn't matter, Toastmasters is the place to prove yourself wrong. Here, we don't just grow together-we shine together. And as I continue this journey, I know I'm not just becoming a better speaker-I'm becoming the leader, the influencer, and the inspirer I always hoped to be.

Because now I have the tools.

Now I have the tribe.

Now I have the belief.

And most importantly, I have Toastmasters.

Let's continue to grow together.

Let's continue to shine together.

And one day-let's meet each other on global stages, as not just speakers, but as leaders who dared to dream out loud.

Gandaki Toastmasters Club Meeting Information: Gandaki Toastmasters Club meets fortnightly on Tuesday evenings 6 pm at Med 5 Restaurant, Lakeside Street No. 6, Pokhara.

Dr.Mallick is a member of Gandaki Toastmasters Club.