October 8, 2025

This week our Toastmaster, Preetha, led us through the meaningful theme of mental health. She opened with a gentle reminder that while “How are you?” is a question we hear daily, few of us pause to answer it honestly. Preetha encouraged everyone to take this meeting as an opportunity to be present, supportive, and to remember—it’s okay not to be okay.

The word of the day was:

Grounding (noun): a technique used to help individuals regain a sense of present moment awareness and stability.

In psychology, grounding refers to a set of techniques used to help individuals regain a sense of present-moment awareness and stability. It involves focusing on the sensory experiences and physical sensations in the current environment.

A special highlight came from Dawn, who presented a leader profile on Mary Wollstonecraft, the pioneering philosopher and feminist best known for A Vindication of the Rights of Woman. Dawn shared how Wollstonecraft’s courage to write about women’s education and autonomy—at a time when such ideas were dismissed—continues to inspire generations. She also reminded us to quote, uplift, and support other women’s voices, especially when mental health struggles are often misunderstood or judged.

The first prepared speech was delivered by Lily, titled “12 Months Later: A Stronger Me.” She shared her personal journey toward better health after receiving alarming medical results. Over the past year, Lily began exercising consistently, improved her eating habits, and embraced journaling as a grounding practice. She spoke about setting boundaries at work, prioritizing what truly matters, and rediscovering joy in community. “My journey isn’t over,” she reflected. “Change happens one step at a time. Be patient with yourself.”

We then welcomed Robin for his Ice Breaker speech, “Get Creative.” Born and raised in Zhejiang Province, China, Robin shared his path from the East Coast to California, working in research across aviation, healthcare, and self-driving technologies. His speech revealed not only his academic curiosity but also his grounded approach to learning and adapting to new environments—a wonderful debut that left us eager to hear more in future meetings.

Table Topics Master Leena brought creativity and fun to the impromptu speaking session with thoughtful prompts that kept everyone engaged. Joscel shared how using the “delete button” while cleaning dishes can feel surprisingly therapeutic. Derek responded to “If your mind could talk to you right now, what would it say?” with a lighthearted take on inner dialogue and self-awareness. Nitin was asked, “If your stress had a theme song, what would it be?” and delivered an energetic “rap stress buster.” Kirti shared that her instant mood booster is simply walking around in nature, while Ramya reminded us that when burnout strikes, sometimes the best remedy is to “just look at the sky.”

Thank you to Kirti and Akila for being our evaluators!

As Preetha reminded us, whether we’re managing stress, navigating challenges, or finding balance, what matters most is that we show up for ourselves and each other—grounded, connected, and kind.

See you at our next meeting!