The late Jose Mordeno, Founder and then President of Speechpower, a communications company where I worked part time as a consultant for over 10 years would always mention in his speeches that “You cannot give what you do not have.” Mr. Mordeno was a brilliant, hardworking, charismatic man and in the past, I always looked forward to meeting him and listening to him talk during our events. That message stuck with me through the years, and the further I go in my career and the more expansive responsibilities I handle, the truer it gets.

To our toastmaster of the day, our guests and my fellow toastmasters, good afternoon.

Was there a time at work that you felt you are giving so much more than what you currently have? In a country where work-life balance is not really observed in many companies, which was proven by a recent global survey, this is the reality of so many people.

I have a mantra to give my best in anything I do, be it in tasks big or little. I also have the tendency to help people and understand them as much as I could, which may be good in a way, but which sometimes led to overexhaustion and running on empty. But there are ways to counter this, including being mindful of your current situation, physical, emotional and spiritual state. Aside from this, one solution is around us – people and places.

In 2022, after a particularly exhausting two (2) months working simultaneously on several projects, with 2 events at the end of the month happening in the same week, plus some personal issues to deal with, I felt tired to the core. I realized I needed to take a break so I accepted the invitation to join an excursion with a new set of people– my daughter and her workmates, mostly a group of young people in their 19s and early 20s. We went to Daraitan, Rizal and stayed overnight, swam in the river, stayed in tents and spent time just being with nature. I was the only “old person” in the group so it felt refreshing to be with this young group bonding together outside work.

In December 2022, we did a yearender event in Sonya’s Secret Garden in Tagaytay where our Office brought together retired women Ambassadors and their spouses, as well as the ASEAN Ambassadors in the Philippines for a day of fun, food and recreation. The place is lovely, with trees and flowers all around, and with food lovingly prepared by the staff with the fresh ingredients plucked from the farm and garden. We also invited the Linangan Art Residency to exhibit some paintings. It was a complete event with art, music, nature, spa and a farm tour.

Moving forward to 2023 and 2024, I had the opportunity to visit new places as part of our office tour and teambuilding. One was in Balé Pampanga and the other is Sirmata in Nueva Ecija. Both places were built in harmony with nature, had a relaxed atmosphere and offered delicious food. In both instances, I had the time to exchange heartfelt conversations with people. In one such talk, while we were under the trees, I discussed with one of the senior DFA officials his retirement plans and some of our goals in the future. My fellow female officers and I also had a heart-to-heart talk when we navigated issues about our childhood, office work, foreign assignments, and some personal issues in the family. I also had the chance to jog and walk around, surrounded by nature’s beauty.

Thus, I can say that being with people and places, in settings that takes our mind off temporarily from our work circumstances, personal issues, and concerns brought about by fast urban living and the capitalistic society really does wonders.

It’s not necessarily in a far place. It may be a quiet 711 store where you get your favorite soft serve ice cream, a bench in a park, or an undisturbed area in your Office where you can gaze outside and see the sky and trees.

And so, I encourage all of you to allot time for these things in the midst of our busy lives. And to make sure that your cup is full. Thank you.

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Author’s Notes:

I delivered this speech during the UP Manila Toastmasters Club Meeting on 10 August 2024.

TC III: Elective 2

Inspire your audience

This project addresses how to present a speech in an enthusiastic and inspiring fashion to establish a strong rapport with your audience.

Purpose: The purpose of this project is to practice writing and delivering a speech that inspires others.

Overview: Select a topic with the intent of inspiring your audience and prepare a 5- to 7-minute speech for your club.

This project includes:
■  A 5- to 7-minute speech

My evaluator’s main recommendation was to connect “You cannot give what you do not have” to the body of the speech about people and places.I agree. The connection was implied and in my mind. I could add a sentence or two connecting the two (2) ideas.