(Laying down on the floor and then standing up)

(Beep, beep, beep!) Did you hear that? That’s my wake-up call! But, when I hear my wake-up call, I just wanna sleep more…..I just wanna cuddle with my honey more….I just wanna…..BLOW UP MY ALARM CLOCK! Ladies and gentlemen, Contest Master…..and anyone who doesn’t want to wake up in the mornings!

A few years ago, I had a very demanding job…….and a very demanding wife! That gave me the excuse to do what I love most! EAT! So, I ate……more and more and more, until I looked like……a SUMO WRESTLER! HAI! (point to PPT screenshot fat Mike). My wife…..poked my big belly and said, “Honey….it’s time….to make better choices! No more junk food! No more sugar! And no more cuddling in the mornings! I’m going to cook for you!” You know, I love my wife! But, I hate her cooking! So, I made a deal with my family…….dog! Whenever my wife wasn’t looking, I quickly put the food under the table so my dog could eat it! Then, I would sneak out of the house and go to…….McDonalds! You know what? I didn’t want to change! Change was for other people! I said to myself, “I’m fine!” But, my body was telling me the opposite! I was always in pain…….so I ate more chocolates! I was always thirsty…….so I drank more soda! I was always hungry……so I ate more……McDonalds! Everybody was telling me to WAKE UP! And make better choices! But, I chose to ignore them……because I was comfortable in my misery!

It was also a difficult time in my marriage. My wife……loved talking! And I loved….not listening! I would tune her out like mumbling background noise! Until……she got SILENT! Oh, oh! Whenever a woman goes silent, that’s never good! Whenever my wife goes silent….....I am DEAD! OK, OK.......I was NOT a good listener! And, I was stubborn! But, I wasn’t going to let my wife change me! I was sssssss…..stubborn! My wife was trying to tell me to WAKE UP! And make better choices! But, I chose to ignore her.

Until…….one morning……my alarm clock went off. I opened my eyes. And I couldn’t see anything! “Honey, are you burning breakfast again?!” It wasn’t smoke….and it wasn’t my wife! “What’s wrong with you?!” “I don’t know! I know you’re here…..I can hear you….but…..why can’t I see you? I’m blind!” In a panic, we rushed to the hospital!........I………got…….diabetes. My blood was thick as syrup……..and if I waited any longer…..I would have gone into a coma. The doctor stood next to my bed and said, “Mr. Honda! Medicine will give you your vision back, but making better choices will give you your life back!” “What do you mean?!” “Look, if you want to live to see your next birthday, just make better choices!” “How?!” “Well, the next time you make a choice, as yourself, ‘Will it destroy me, or help me?’” Yeah, right! Nice words! But, I still struggled to make better choices!

For the next few months….I couldn’t work, so I lost my job. What was I going to lose next?!......my wife?.........my life?..........I realized that I was who I was because of the choices I made. It was time….to make better choices! So, the next morning when my alarm clock went off, I chose to get up….and go running! And I used to HATE running! But because I made ONE BETTER CHOICE, it started a chain reaction of positive changes! I was ready to change…..because I was ready to listen. I got stronger!….healthier!........and my wife?..........Happier! Because now, I listened to her!.......AND eat her food!

Fellow Toastmasters…..and friends! I realized that making better choices……starts with listening. Listening helped me to make better changes in my life. And if we all listen more….like listen to the ones who love us, listen to our bodies……and listen to ourselves……we WILL make better choices. There are wake-up calls all around us! Listen!
(Beep, beep, beep!)

Contest Master!