‘If you want something in life you’ve never had, you’ll have to challenge yourself, step out of your comfort zone and do something you have never done before.’
Let me share a very personal story here-
For a long time in my life I suffered from stage phobia. I had a fear of public speaking. Facing the audience, speaking on mike or even in front of camera would always give me jitters. I have always been a pen and a paper person and loved writing. All through my school life I never performed on stage. Even during college days, I was shy of public speaking. If ever I was asked to give any presentation in school or college, I would practice and practice for days together and in spite of that many a times I would bunk or evade on the final day. Somewhere I knew this was my weakness and I had to overcome it.
As soon as I completed my post-grad I was called for an interview by a language training institute in Delhi. I was offered a role to train a group of students/individuals of different age-groups and hone their language skills. At first I wasn’t sure if I should take up the job. Addressing students who are probably double my age was something I couldn’t imagine myself doing. But then I pushed myself and took up the role.
It was my first job and I knew if not now I would never be able to face my fears and overcome them. I persisted, combating my own inhibitions and phobias. It took me a few days to settle in the role but once I did there was no looking back.
Subsequently, all the other roles that I followed later in life involved public speaking. Be it teaching that required me to address a class of 40 students everyday along with frequent seminars/conferences with fellow teachers or now blogging/instagraming that occasionally involves speaking on camera, making videos etc. Still there are days when I feel nervous. Infact speaking on camera doesn’t really come easy even now. But I take it up everytime I have to and do not give up.
I think when we push ourself out of our comfort zone and repeatedly attempt things that once made us nervous, we gain confidence of a different kind. It not just adds to our personal achievements but also make us feel empowered in so many ways.
Now when I look back, I feel glad that I took up my first job that helped me take a step in this direction. Had I not taken that step to come out of my comfort zone, challenge my own self and conquer my own fears, I would have spent all these years standing on the threshold. But I am glad that I took the plunge. And now I find myself a completely new person who is far more confident, capable and truly liberated.
So if you are or every have been in a situation like I was, I would say do not think much. Just dive through your fears and challenge yourself. Do not be like those rest of the fish in the bowl who have somehow adjusted with their situation. Rather choose to be like that one odd fish, and take that plunge. Trust me, it is only you who can push yourself, no one else!
Welcome to Blog-A-League – a weekly prompt writing challenge to get your blogs rolling for 2020. Simply choose among the given prompts and write a blog post.
Rules are simple and easy –
- Write on any of the two prompts given below.
- Use your creativity, your thoughts, and your imagination to write.
- No sponsored, guest post.
- Link your post in below linky clicking blue button.
- Read, comment and engage on as many posts possible.
- Use The MANDATORY line to be added at the end of the blog : This post is written for #BlogALeague with Ruchi, Dipika, Charu and Preetjyot.
Here are the two prompts of the week
Prompt 1 :
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Prompt 2:
Pic Credit : https://www.flickr.com/photos/emoneytg/2701178100
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This is so true, success is always out of our comfort zone. I too suffered many such inhibitions throughout my life. But fighting your demons and overpowering them is the key to success