Year 2008 marked a new phase of my life as I reached my dream place, my college! I still remember my first day, but hey, having spent most of my life in a small city, my dream soon turned into a nightmare as I couldn’t fit in the culture! 
I was intimidated by the dominance of English language, not just in academics but also in college fests. Well, I decided to improve and for the next few years went into voracious reading, watching Hollywood movies and endless discussions. Nothing really helped and I feared being a laughing having the feeling – “Obviously, I can’t”. 

Fast forward, 2015, my life changed, as I became a Toastmaster at Adobe. 
I was in awe of the positive culture, diversity of roles and commitment of the members. That’s when I began my journey of “trying new things out”. I felt fortunate to find this community where I can imagine, experiment, execute and the people motivate, correct and help me to grow. 

I also took a plunge into the leadership by being part of the EC team, and I learned the lessons through hands-on. Organizing contests, attending trainings and simply participating in weekly meetings taught me the lifelong values of punctuality, planning; execution, and most importantly, building strong relationships. No wonder; nervousness and discomfort left me and now zeal, dedication and confidence are here to stay. “Oh yes, I can.” 

I CAN speak; I CAN lead. 
My next goal is to excel in the Contests; reach the DTM level. “Hurrah.. I WILL” 

Now, whenever I am in doubt, the trophies; certificates shining on my desk are enough to give me a spark.