Table Topic: I'm Who I'm; You Are Who You Are

I'm Who I'm 

I'm who I'm because of my experience on the brink of depressions, I felt so clueless and helpless that I couldn't see the path in future.
I'm who I'm because I'm survivor of domestic violence. I know the extend of pain and that lurking dark shadows in my heart that refuse go away
I'm who I'm because I made a choice to be better person, not because I'm a perfect man.
I'm who I'm because of the people around me, who gave me a hand when I needed most, who chose to believe in me.
I'm who I'm because of my children who give me faith, hope and love, and allow me to become their father.
I'm who I'm because I have a dream. A dream of better life. A dream of my descendants will flourish on the foundations that I had build. A dream of strength, fortitude and abundance of life.

Fellow Toastmasters,

It is a fact that each one of us here have a past. A past that is hurting us. A past that is haunting us. A past that keep us in our own mind, an invisible prison. But we all have a choice. And we, can make that choice to be who we really are. I'm who I'm because of my choices and the blessings bestowed on me.

You Are Who You Are

We all live in a society that subjected to standards, perceptions and expectations of others. Buy that car to show how successful you are, buy that bra so that you attract good man, get straight As so that our parents can be proud, study that course so that you can earn more money.

But all these standards, perceptions and expectations shapes us, to the extend we lost our true self. We made choices not because who we are, but to please others. We gave up our power in exchange acceptance of others. The cost is high - we ended up feeling unworthy, trapped and worse - we lost our self identity.

Fellow Toastmaster,

You are who you are because of your choices, not because of others standards, perceptions and expectations.
You are who you are because you are being loved, just the way you are.
You are who you are because you are worthy for a abundance of life, if you choose so.
You are who you are because you can impart lessons from your past failure, helping others to shorten their learning curve and making our society a better place.
you are who you are because you can make choices on your future, not defined by your past.

You are who you are because you have the power to make choices.



24 May 2019, Apple Mentors Toastmasters Club, Table Topic Immersive Training