CONFIDENCE 4 U

How to write and give a birthday speech (and find happiness on the way!)

29-Jul-2008, Number 224

Written and published by Rachel Green.
Visit our website at http://www.rachelgreen.com
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In this edition:

1. Welcome and background news.
   
2. Top tips on how to write a speech for special occasions such as birthdays.
3. More tips on celebrating your birthday: the big 40, 50 or 60!
4. Special offer: F.R.E.E. book, two for the price of one: "Midlife and Happiness".
5. Laugh your socks off.
   

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1. Welcome.

I am giving a speech at a 21st birthday party tonight, so I thought I could take this opportunity to give some tips on writing birthday speeches - no matter what the age is. However, if you are thinking, "I'll never have to give a birthday speech" - please do read on because the tips will also help with other types of speeches and presentations too. Still not interested? Well what about happiness? Maybe you are interested in that? If so, the whole point of celebrating a birthday is to be happy, so you'll get some bonus tips on happiness too. Read on to the tips section to see what I mean.

Welcome to all our new readers from around the world, including this fortnight from Australia, India, China, Germany, Nigeria and USA. A big Hi! also to the new subscribers from Verve Energy and at St Andrew's Catholic Primary School. Welcome! Please tell your friends and colleagues about Confidence 4 U - that is the only way the tips can reach more people.

The winner this fortnight, of a free E-book from our range, is Annette Parata from Australia. If this is you, please contact us to claim your prize by Saturday 2nd August 2008:

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2. The TOP TIPS: How to write a speech for a special occasion.

Tip 1: Always be relevant.

How many speeches have you heard that have not been designed for a particular event, audience or person? I have heard many speeches which have been so general that they could have applied to anyone, anywhere, or any event. Do you think that inspires an audience? No. Does it keep them listening? No. Does it make them want more? No. One of the secrets to a successful speech, birthday or otherwise, is to make it relevant. Make it relevant to the specific people in attendance; to the specific occasion whether a birthday, wedding or confirmation; and to the place, venue, city, age-group, occupation or whatever matters most. Always be relevant, specifically relevant to your audience so they feel special and understood. Give a tailor-made, personally designed speech which is relevant to the individuals present and they'll want to hear more.

Tip 2. Celebrate how far they've come.

When you are giving the birthday speech work out the achievements that the person has made on the way to his or her birthday. A birthday speech is a wonderful opportunity to review a person's progress. The achievements you mention in your speech don't have to be large. Tiny ones are fine. Help the birthday star celebrate how far she or he has come.

Tip 3. Make it personal and weave in stories.

Jokes are nowhere near as good as personal stories when celebrating an event such as a birthday, wedding or anniversary. As you write your speech weave in stories that relate to the person (or for the group, if it is a birthday of an organisation). It may be the funny things that have occurred along the way, funny things people have said, how hair styles have changed over the ages ... whatever stories will make this speech a unique, special speech for the people involved.

For example, tonight my speech is to celebrate the 21st birthday of a group I belong to. In the speech I will be telling everyone of the time when I fell fast asleep in the group and fell off my chair, right in front of the speaker! It is a story that most won't know and all will laugh at! And it is directly relevant to the history of the 21st birthday. Find personal funny stories to tell in your speech and it will bring it alive.

Tip 4. Thank people.

Take the time to thank people. Make the "thank-yous" specific and don't just say, "And thanks to all of you for making this birthday possible", or, "Thanks Jeanette for being such a wonderful daughter". Instead give the detail that shows the depth and sincerity of the thank you. Make the recipients glow with pride.

For example, if it is your daughter's 21st you might say, "Jeanette thank you for being my daughter. I am so proud of you tonight to see you here surrounded by so many friends. I have always been in awe of the way that you have captured people's hearts with your smile and vivaciousness and you have certainly captured mine. Thank you for being my daughter."

Tip 5. Give them a take-home message.

Don't just waffle on! Don't just reminisce. Have a theme running through your speech so that your audience has a clear "take-home message" to inspire them after the birthday is over. For example, tonight I have three key aspects to the speech. One centres around why we celebrate a birthday, the second about the value of ageing and the third is on how to be happy. Here is an overview of what I will say.

1. Why we celebrate a birthday. A birthday is a time to celebrate how far a person has come. It isn't a time to have regrets about the past or to long for the past. It is a time to celebrate where we are right now, to be thankful for it, to be happy about this moment now. It is a time to truly rejoice in what we have now. Happiness is here now.

2. The value of ageing. There is no need to hide our age. Our age is to be celebrated irrespective of whether we are 21, 40 or 65! There is no need to dye our hair and pretend we are younger, (which is what some older people do). There is no need to pretend we are older, (which is what some younger people do). Whatever our age we can rejoice. After all, some people never make it to 21, 40 or 70. How wonderful that we have. Let's be proud of our age whatever it is. There is always something wonderful about every age.

3. How to be happy. Practise gratitude to be happy. As we say "Happy birthday" let's be thankful for what we have. Let's not focus on what could be better, what is wrong, or what is negative, because that will only give us an unhappy birthday and an unhappy life. Instead, gratitude is the path to happiness. Let's actually notice what we do have. We have so much but yet take so much for granted. Instead, notice what we have and say thank you. Thank you for all the good things that have occurred today; for all the good things that have helped create this wonderful party; for all the good things about each person here. It is by practising gratitude that we will be truly happy, not only today and this wonderful birthday, but every day. Gratitude is the path to happiness.
   

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3. More tips on celebrating your age or birthday: including the big 40, 50 or 60.

Each month new tips are placed on our page of Personal Development Tips and Articles.

There are several sets on for you to read. Click on the links to read three of the most relevant ones:

1. Ten tips for celebrating your 50th birthday.
   We have just found out this is our most popular set of tips!
   

2. Ten tips on how to be proud of your age.
   

3. Tips and stories on celebrating your birthday, by Confidence 4 U readers.
   

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4. More ways to celebrate your age over 40 or 50.

Midlife and Happiness
If you get inspired by reading other people's stories then this book, “Midlife and Happiness: How to be happy, overcome obstacles and follow your dreams over 40” is here to inspire you.

There are seven chapters on my life, including how I celebrated my 40th birthday big time and what my plans were for my 50th, and 13 chapters on the lives of other people, aged 40 - 61. There are 7 men and 7 women featured in the book - all of them interesting in their own fascinating ways.

If you want to be happy over 40, 50 or 60 here is a book to help you. If you have problems to solve this can help you. If you want to achieve your dreams you'll find out steps to make them possible. I hope you'll read it. Order now! Only $34.95, with no extra for postage, world-wide.

If you order no later than Saturday 2nd August 2008 then you will get a F.R.E.E. extra copy to give to a friend, to the value of $34.95.

To be eligible for the extra copy you must order through our On-line Book and CD store and click NEWSLETTER when it asks you where you heard about the book. Don't miss out - this offer closes, Saturday 2nd August 2008. This offer is ONLY available to CONFIDENCE 4 U readers.

Click here to order.

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5. Laugh your socks off.

Thanks to my friend Zor for this fortnight's joke.

The E-Mail
An Illinois man left the snowballed streets of Chicago for a vacation in Florida. His wife was on a business trip and was planning to meet him there the next day. When he reached his hotel, he decided to send his wife a quick e-mail.

Unable to find the scrap of paper on which he had written her e-mail address, he did his best to type it in from memory. Unfortunately, he missed one letter, and his note was directed instead to an elderly preacher's wife whose husband had just passed away only the day before.

When the grieving widow checked her e-mail, she took one look at the monitor, let out a piercing scream, and fell to the floor and died.

At the sound, her family rushed into the room and saw this note on the screen:

Dearest Wife,

Just got checked in. Everything prepared for your arrival tomorrow.

Your Loving Husband.

P.S. Sure is hot down here.

If you have some clean jokes we can use, please send your contributions to

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Celebrate every year you are blessed with.

With kindness,
Rachel.

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Further information for you

Learn in your own time.

There are eight CD sets, a printed book and 5 Electronic books to help you, including the NEW! CD set on "CONFIDENCE for women at work," and the very popular E-book "How to be a brilliant master of ceremonies." Please order in our online book and CD store - we have a secure server: click here.

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Disclaimer: The information in this magazine is of a general nature and may not suit everyone or every situation. While every care has been taken to ensure it is useful and appropriate, no responsibility can be taken for the results gained from its implementation. Please seek individual professional guidance for any difficulties you may have with your confidence, relationships, conversations, events management, health, work, speech writing, communication or emotions. Thank you.