Public speaking is an art which requires lots of skills and practices to achieve. Some people push themselves over their limit to become efficient at speaking, while others would do anything to avoid speaking in front of groups of people, even at the cost of not being able to graduate from college or passing up the opportunity of getting promotions. As timid as I was, never in a million of years would I had dreamt of speaking and competing against others in public, yet I achieved the impossible. Winning Toastmaster Speech contests in 2012 have changed my life for the better. With passion, hard work and a little bit of luck, success is inevitable. My favorite subject in college was speech. Perhaps it was my favorite because I felt powerful delivering my messages to others when I normally didn’t talk to anyone. I felt extremely shy and intimidated by many. I was a damaged person, living a nightmare. I felt out of touch with reality and had a lack of interest in life. When I delivered my very first speech in front of my classmates in college, how liberating it made me feel. I felt as good as if I was finally being released from a wrongful life sentence. It was then I knew speaking and writing were my passion, my voice for the deaf and my reason for being. Joining Toastmaster club #62 in West Covina was the best decision I made to improve my speaking skills. The first day, I trembled terribly when I stood in front of my club mates and introduced myself. A couple weeks later, I delivered my first Ice Breaker Speech. I was still very nervous and my voice broke a little. Then almost every Sunday, I went to meetings even on stormy nights because I was determined to improve my speaking techniques. I was taught to speak with good eye contact, with a variety of voices, good body language, etc. I was taught to speak with confidence and own the stage. Speaking and writing regularly have made me whole again after so many years of being broken. Winning the Toastmaster Speaking Contest in 2012 changed my life forever. After the contests, many have offered me speaking jobs. I am all booked for the next twelve months. What a joy and honor to get invited to speak in colleges, university campuses and conferences all over the world. After each speech, not only would my mouth get dry from speaking, my legs get exhausted for standing, but my hand also get very tired from signing autographs. Millions of copies of my books have been sold and have been translated into dozens of different languages. I am living the American dream now. I have everything I ever dreamed off, from living in a beautiful house in a good neighborhood to seeing my two children graduated at the top of their classes and landing good jobs. Becoming a public speaker and writer has made me a very happy person today. I am blessed and honored to write and speak for those who have no voice. I am happy to see my loving messages shared across the globe. Making people aware of the poor, the sick, the elderly and bringing love, understanding and peace together are my mission and my reason for being. I am grateful for this life that I have been given, and I am thankful for every person who has entered into my life, who has given me lessons, experiences, happiness and most of all love. Crystal H. Vo English 5A 01/27/2016 ========================= This is my class writing assignment. Write an event and add a few details to make it interesting .