Episode 114
Bonus Episode #2 - You Always Have A Chance-Seize It!
Stop worrying, start living! The negative beliefs in yourself that you are uncertain about should not be in question. This very special bonus episode exemplifies the power that going the distance, regardless of the "no" statements that you have received, is important when so many believing in you and do not even know after attending the District 38 Annual Conference in southwestern Pennsylvania.
Visit Our Website: https://speaking-from-the-heart.captivate.fm/
Visit Our Business Website: https://www.yourspeakingvoice.biz
Support The Mission Of The Business! Donate Here: https://speaking-from-the-heart.captivate.fm/support
Intro/Outro By: Michael Dugan, Podcast Host: Voice4Chefs
Transcript
Welcome to the podcast where relationships, confidence, and
2
:determination all converge into
an amazing, heartfelt experience.
3
:This is Speaking From The Heart.
4
:Joshua: Welcome back to this very special
bonus episode of Speaking from the Heart.
5
:Now, if you have been a long time
follower of this show, you know that
6
:I normally don't do bonus episodes
ever, and I've only done one before
7
:this one has come out today, but I'm
recording this immediately following
8
:the Toastmasters District 38 conference
in which I was a workshop presenter
9
:on behalf of my business, plus a long
standing Toastmaster for over a decade
10
:starting my journey within this district.
11
:All I have to say to start out
to really wrap up this episode if
12
:you just wanted to stop after this
is simply do not ever give up.
13
:Do not ever think that you have squandered
any opportunity, and most importantly,
14
:when you think that everything has been
given up in terms of your chances, Don't.
15
:Don't ever think that.
16
:Keep going forward and
seize that opportunity.
17
:I don't even know what to feel because
of the things that have happened to me
18
:over the last several days, in which have
been transformative, to say the least.
19
:I think it's something of a mix of
not only gratitude, but also feeling
20
:humbled, as I've put it to some of
the fellow conference attendees that
21
:I've talked to after the conference.
22
:Now, for those that have never heard of
Toastmasters, and you fell into Speaking
23
:From The Heart before we even started
with the types of guests that we've had,
24
:you have to understand that part of this
whole experience of being a Toastmaster
25
:is that you're surrounded by not only
people that want to work on themselves,
26
:but they want to also see themselves get
better in the long run; in other words,
27
:become the best versions of themselves.
28
:When I joined this organization over 12
years ago, I would have never told you
29
:about the insurmountable opportunities
that I would have been given.
30
:Whether that has been helping others to
achieve their dreams, their visions, being
31
:able to unlock my own true potential.
32
:I was always the one that was sitting
in the back afraid of what I would look
33
:like in terms of speaking, being able to
share what was on my heart, but yet at
34
:the same time, lacking the confidence, the
integrity, the respect, even the service
35
:and excellence, the foundational core
values of what Toastmasters is all about,
36
:if it wasn't for the fact that I had some
insurmountable amount of opportunity to
37
:work with people that have come before me.
38
:They have paved the path forward for
me in order to become what I am today:
39
:more accomplished than I have ever
thought; until I got to this conference.
40
:All I have to say is that the number of
people that might be listening to this,
41
:and especially if you started following
this after this incredible weekend that
42
:has just passed, I just want to say
thank you from the bottom of my heart.
43
:The number of you that have reached out,
connected with me, and have just walked
44
:up to me afterwards and said, "Josh.
45
:Thank you for what you've done to be
able to share what you had on your
46
:heart, and to be able to have a voice,
and not to give up.", That meant
47
:more than you would ever imagine.
48
:The chance that I had of a lifetime to
get back on the stage after five years;
49
:five years of what I have felt as I had
separated myself from reality, and my
50
:true calling as to why I want to keep
going, why I want to keep growing, and
51
:why I want to keep doing what I'm doing to
become better than I ever thought before.
52
:It's very interesting to easily compare
myself to so many different types
53
:of people: those that have been very
successful, those that have been very
54
:helpful, those that have been something
of a class of their own, whether you want
55
:to look at the professional aspects of
it or not, what I have realized is that
56
:some people will never grow up, and that
some people, despite anything that you
57
:might do, will never change their mindset
because they've already locked in their
58
:final answer, almost as if they were
playing Who Wants To Be A Millionaire,
59
:but I'm getting ahead of myself.
60
:This weekend was something that I've
been dreading for a very long time,
61
:because, to be honest with you, and
what I have not shared on this show,
62
:is that this whole concept of Your
Speaking Voice LLC, the reason that I
63
:even do this podcast, the very essence
of what this has been all about, was
64
:because I lost my voice two years
ago as well, at this very conference.
65
:You see..
66
:I was not the best version of myself.
67
:I lost everything: all the respect, all
the dignity, all the excellence that
68
:I would have ever thought possible.
69
:I lost it all, and those were
the darkest moments of my life.
70
:I challenged some people in which I will
never say their name out of respect to the
71
:fact that they don't deserve the dignity
of having their name said on my podcast,
72
:which is actually quite ironic, because
we talk about here on this show of the
73
:importance of caring, showing respect,
but for some people, that respect and that
74
:dignity has to be earned, and that earned
opportunity hasn't come from them yet,
75
:so maybe one day, down the road, I will
say their name, but for today, I won't.
76
:These people were actually some of the
leaders that were directly involved
77
:with the planning of this conference,
and before I get ahead of myself, I
78
:must clarify that these people, from
two years ago, I challenged them.
79
:They were really disrespecting a lot of
different people, and they were hurting
80
:others, and I took my voice that I thought
I had, and I stood up for what was right.
81
:I was trying to be the Captain America
that I've always believed that I was,
82
:which, for those that have been listening
to this show, you might realize that
83
:in one episode I talked about the fact
that I have Captain America's shield,
84
:at least a replica of it, hanging behind
my clients every time that they sit
85
:down on my couch to have a session,
but, what I have learned from doing
86
:this experience, of just learning how
to grow, learning how to foster myself.
87
:I was hurting others at the same time.
88
:I ran for election of the highest
position in the district, and lost.
89
:I was crushed, but I also thought there
was some foul play involved, and two
90
:years later, I'm still holding on to some
of those fears, but not in the same way
91
:that I was holding on to them before.
92
:I had been going through so many
different things at that time, but after
93
:I lost, I realized that I needed to do
something that was really important to me.
94
:I needed to clamber back my voice.
95
:That conference was the reason why, one
month later, I rented an office nearby
96
:me, for about $250, started working
on my business, Your Speaking Voice,
97
:LLC, and six months later, opened it
up to the whole world for them to be
98
:able to get what I lost: my voice.
99
:As you know, this is the month in which
I launched my podcast too, so it's been
100
:officially one year, and what's ironic is
that my episodes were not going to talk
101
:about the one year anniversary of this
podcast, let alone even dive into what
102
:it is meant to be a podcast host, because
I think that the episodes before this
103
:speak to itself: the clarity, the focus,
the strength, the opportunity in which
104
:I've continued to grow even as a podcast
host, and even a business owner ,of a
105
:coaching and consulting business that
is striving to change the industry and
106
:what it's all about, speaks for itself.
107
:In other words, the things in which
the actions that I was doing spoke
108
:louder than anything else that I
would ever need to directly confront,
109
:let alone even address, but I'll
get back to that in just a moment.
110
:Over this weekend, I learned a little
bit more about what kind of impact I've
111
:had, and I have to say, for all the
people that came up to me and wondered
112
:where I was for so long, I want you
to know, I heard you, loud and clear.
113
:Some of you came up to me, at
that conference, after I gave the
114
:workshop, which, for those that
were not there, was about leading
115
:outside your Toastmasters club.
116
:Learning how to grow outside your club,
and take the leadership skills that
117
:you've developed, and apply them to the
real world, which I've been able to do
118
:myself, by helping others, just like we've
had Brock Waluk, from Next Generation
119
:Personal Training, on this show, and I've
even discussed the vast differences that
120
:has allowed him and his company to grow,
just because it's been really a privilege
121
:and honor to use some of the things
that I have learned to help them keep
122
:moving forward, but I digress, because
those special Toastmasters were really
123
:the ones that stood up and said to me,
"You had made a difference in my life."
124
:"You were the one, so many years
ago, that had changed who I was."
125
:"You made such a profound difference in my
life, and I want to thank you, Josh, for
126
:what you've done.", and I was completely
broken after hearing those statements.
127
:That past version of myself, was really
hurting, and to know that somebody
128
:was looking out, knowing that I
really cared about them, I appreciate
129
:you, and I hear you, loud and clear.
130
:You made such a big difference in
my life, and what it was all about,
131
:what it had really helped me to be,
was because of your statements to me.
132
:You have restored me.
133
:I don't know about many of you that
have gone through life thinking that you
134
:have always been a piece of trash, and
you would always think that you did the
135
:wrong thing, at the wrong time, and hurt
so many people, but I want you to know
136
:that there is always a chance, if you
believe in yourself, which ironically
137
:enough, that episode will be coming out
at some point down the road, which I've
138
:recorded months in advance, in which I
talk about the importance of just keeping
139
:that commitment, because when that
commitment comes up, when someone asks
140
:you to step up, you will be consistent
with what your message has been.
141
:You will be the best version of yourself,
because you kept working on yourself,
142
:even when you thought no one was looking.
143
:Of one particular instance, was actually
the fact that one Toastmaster, who
144
:I've interacted with almost seven
years ago, changed my life, by calling
145
:me out, and telling everybody, over a
hundred people, that I had a profound
146
:influence in their life, and that if
it wasn't for me, they wouldn't be
147
:half the Toastmaster that they are.
148
:It was weird, all these accolades,
all of this happening in one
149
:day, and I was overwhelmed.
150
:I was humbled by the people that are just
generally caring, but there was one thing
151
:that still bothered me more than anything
else is that there were two people, as
152
:I mentioned earlier in this episode,
that gave me no respect whatsoever,
153
:and they had a direct hand in changing
the course of what this was all about.
154
:My head and my heart raced.
155
:What could I do?
156
:Could I be the better person?
157
:Could I confront them?
158
:Should I tell them that they were really
hurting me by not acknowledging who I
159
:was as a human being, as somebody that
was really trying their very best to
160
:be better than they were two years ago?
161
:Can they just understand that I
was just being a complete dick
162
:back then, because I was hurt?
163
:I wanted them to respect me.
164
:I wanted to be acknowledged by them,
but then it hit me with all the people
165
:that came up, telling me, dozens upon
dozens of them, about how much I gave
166
:them information that was needed for
them to help keep moving their progress
167
:forward in Toastmasters, and to ignite
a spark in them that otherwise that
168
:spark would have been missing if other
people weren't there at that conference
169
:like myself, but it got me thinking,
later that day, "What could I do?"
170
:These two people; that's
all I was worried about.
171
:These two people didn't acknowledge me.
172
:What should I do?
173
:But then it hit me.
174
:It was something that my therapist said
before I came to this conference; of
175
:all people, my therapist said this.
176
:"You have nothing to prove.
177
:Leave them speechless with how
much you really have grown.
178
:You owe them nothing.
179
:Be the authentic, more mature version of
yourself that has ever graced that stage."
180
:Those words, bouncing around like a yo
yo, going back and forth, made me realize
181
:that I've already won against those two.
182
:Won?
183
:It's not even about winning.
184
:It was about the fact that I did
learn something about myself.
185
:I had, as I mentioned in other episodes,
put my hand on the door of opportunity
186
:and I walked through it, and that
meant more than anything else in
187
:this world to me to know that I have
the ability to keep moving forward.
188
:To keep pushing when I thought that
all was lost, and to know, that
189
:above all else, I am capable of
being loved for exactly who I am.
190
:Later that evening, I sat at dinner, and
I gotta give a shout out because I even
191
:talked to this gentleman who gave me
permission to share his name on this show.
192
:Mark Fennell, if you're hearing this, I
want you to know that our conversation,
193
:albeit that I won't go into great
detail about what we talked about out
194
:of respect of you and I, struck to
the heart of what this is all about,
195
:but for my audience that is listening
to this, I want to give you a context
196
:of what Mark and I talked about.
197
:I shared with him my story of the
last four years of my life, just
198
:struggling, finding that identity.
199
:Losing my faith.
200
:Trying to figure out what was really
important in my life to keep moving
201
:forward, to keep finding and grasping
onto something that I thought was my
202
:identity through other people, but
then realizing that my identity is not
203
:shaped by others, it's shaped by me and
what God has given me, and Mark said
204
:something to me that I will never forget.
205
:He told me that I've already won,
that I never had to put my faith
206
:in anybody else but God himself,
because I've already been loved.
207
:I've already been judged.
208
:I've already been through the battles that
people go through, that I was something
209
:of incredible value, not through other
people's eyes, but through His eyes.
210
:On this show, I've always respected the
fact that people come from all shapes and
211
:sizes, from various backgrounds, and I've
respected all of them, and I'm sorry if
212
:I seem like I'm preaching in this bonus
episode about finding your God, but if
213
:there is a God out there, I want him to
know this, and I want you, my listeners,
214
:to understand something that's really
important about keeping consistency.
215
:Find your calling.
216
:Find your calling, because every time
that you are able to work on that
217
:calling, every time that you're able
to figure out what is really, truly
218
:happening in your life, it all comes
back from the fact that when you
219
:give yourself the chance, seize it!
220
:Give it your moment of opportunity,
because your hands are all on the door
221
:in which I walked through this weekend,
and as every person that has stood in
222
:front of me, in front of hundreds of
people, including those two people I
223
:mentioned earlier, and have validated
and vindicated me, I want you to know,
224
:I heard you, but I appreciate the fact
that mark, of all people, knew that I
225
:never had to do that in the first place.
226
:I don't know what you might get from
this episode because I feel like I've
227
:been rambling this whole entire time,
which is why it's a bonus episode.
228
:It's not something I've never even planned
to even talk about, and for me to record
229
:this literally the day after this has
happened, has so many raw emotions that
230
:I think that I will even be looking
back at this, and I hope others will
231
:be looking back at this and say, "Wow!
232
:There was a presence.
233
:There was an opportunity", and I want to
keep walking towards those opportunities.
234
:I want to keep growing and learning,
and I've got to give myself the
235
:chance to seize in order to be
able to accomplish what I really
236
:have set out to do in my life.
237
:Maybe that's what I'm trying to share
with you all today, but regardless
238
:of whether you've been said no
yesterday, two days ago, two months
239
:ago, two years ago, it doesn't matter.
240
:What really matters is, are you
willing to put aside all that pain, all
241
:those issues that have ever happened?
242
:Are you willing to give yourself the
opportunity of a lifetime just by saying
243
:to yourself, "Yes!", instead of, "No?"
244
:Are you willing to find your voice,
as our incoming district director,
245
:Christopher Hulse, the very first
guest on my podcast has even said.
246
:Are you going to give
yourself that voice to find.
247
:Even if you don't know what it
means to find your voice, I'm
248
:going to give you a secret.
249
:A secret in which you might never even
realize that you truly potentially
250
:had deep inside of you, and it's this.
251
:If you ever thought in a million years
that you're not worthy, that you're not
252
:loved, and that you don't have a speaking
voice, you are so wrong, and if I were
253
:to be really particularly clear as to
how I really wanted to say it, cover
254
:your ears, but you're so fucking wrong.
255
:You are so fucking wrong about it,
because if you really wanted to
256
:think about how you can create the
best version of yourself, you can
257
:lay out the best laid out plans.
258
:You can create some of the
best opportunities that we've
259
:talked about in this show.
260
:You can set the best goals,
the best opportunity in itself
261
:to be what you want to be.
262
:You can worry about it all you want,
but those negative beliefs about
263
:yourself should never, ever, tell you
that you are not worthy, just like
264
:it did for me up until May 4th, 2024.
265
:Friends, I want to thank all the
people that have ever believed in me,
266
:that have ever shown their courage to
tell me that they love me, that I am
267
:worthy, that I do have a speaking voice.
268
:That it's been impactful for them to hear
this show, to hear what I have to say,
269
:not just what I have to say, but what
my guests have had to say: thank you,
270
:from the bottom of my heart, because I
never realized in a million years what my
271
:value had been until this very weekend.
272
:So the real question becomes
for me, where do I go from here?
273
:Let me put it to you in the context of
what I've always wanted to do on this
274
:show, which is to leave you with a nugget
of wisdom with something that will allow
275
:you to grow just as much as I have, and
it's this: what's been holding you back
276
:from being the best version of yourself,
person, place, or thing that will allow
277
:you to realize your true potential?
278
:As one of my clients has
put it, you have the choice.
279
:Whether you decide to walk on one
side of the street or the other
280
:street is totally up to you.
281
:You're not wrong on either side of that
street, but I will say that if you walk
282
:on that wrong side, you may be missing
some of the things in your life that
283
:you never thought you could ever have.
284
:You are always welcome to reach
out to me if you need that friend.
285
:It doesn't have to be a
coaching relationship.
286
:It doesn't have to be some sort of
transaction in the business world.
287
:What it does have to be, though,
is something that you will realize
288
:deep inside yourself, after we
talk, and that you carry forward
289
:for the rest of your life, to help
others find that chance to seize.
290
:I know that you have what it takes, and
as much as I keep on breaking down in
291
:this show, I want this to be a record, of
all records, in one year after starting
292
:this show, and starting my business
almost two years ago now, that you will
293
:have the fire that will light the world,
and all it takes is to just inspire
294
:others where you think you might not
be inspiring, because trust me on this.
295
:I've seen it first hand now after this
past weekend, that you have what it takes.
296
:Find the courage to help someone today,
especially if they're feeling like
297
:they're drug down, because you don't
know what kind of impact you will
298
:have on them, and I will tell you,
that the reward on the other side,
299
:isn't just about what is being said.
300
:It's what's coming from, which I hope,
is your human heart, and whether you
301
:want to say that it's not worth it,
and whether it's really the effort
302
:that you need to put into, that really
makes this all happen in the first
303
:place, let me give you some perspective.
304
:It's taken me over 740 days to
finally overcome what I have
305
:been holding on for so long.
306
:You can do it in two years or less.
307
:You can do it tomorrow.
308
:You can nip this in the
butt, whatever it might be.
309
:Whatever it might be
that's holding you back.
310
:I want you to know, though,
that you will be loved.
311
:You will be respected.
312
:You will never have to sit
in those negative thoughts
313
:again, because you are a human.
314
:You have all the potential, and
I know you are capable, just as
315
:I am, to speak from the heart.
316
:Thanks for listening to this very
emotional, but yet very important, bonus
317
:episode of Speaking from the Heart, and I
will say to you, as I always say, that I
318
:look forward to hearing from your heart,
your passionate, loving heart, very soon.
319
:Outro: Thanks for listening.
320
:For more information about our podcast
and future shows, search for Speaking From
321
:The Heart to subscribe and be notified
wherever you listen to your podcasts.
322
:Visit us at www.yourspeakingvoice.biz
for more information about potential
323
:services that can help you create
the best version of yourself.
324
:See you next time.
