Some things are hard. Like really hard. For example: stepping out of a comfort zone. For me, that comfort zone was never letting anyone read the things I wrote. That is until one day, I showed my best friend. Even doing that was difficult and I was worried that she would tell me that it was awful. Instead, she was nothing but supportive. She knew just how difficult it was for me to take that step – no matter how small it may seem. Next, I showed my roommate, and she too was supportive. In fact, my roommate was so supportive that she asked me to join her Odyssey community. Feeling a rare surge of confidence, I agreed, and here we are, three weeks later; you, some stranger on the Internet, reading my words. That’s pretty incredible to me.
The thing is, doing something I was terrified of has given me more confidence that I would have ever imagined. It isn’t about how many people read my article, or even how many people share my article, it’s that it exists. My article, MINE. And it is out there, and if people feel so inclined to, they are able to read it. So I don’t care if people click the link that is automatically shared every week – I have accomplished something I never thought I would be able to do.
While it may seem like something so small to others, for me, when I hit the “submit” button that first week, I felt like Rocky did when he finished his run and pumps his fist at the top of the stairs to the Philadelphia Museum of Art. I also felt a rush of anxiety once I realized I couldn’t take it back. But I don’t feel that anymore. I don’t obsessively check my Facebook to see if the article has posted yet – last week I even forgot that it was going to post. Later in that week I even spoke in class – voluntarily. I am not saying that I am now fearless and all of my anxieties are gone, but at least one is taken care of. For the first time in my life, I’m not afraid of being heard anymore.
To the Odyssey community, thank you for giving me a chance and a place to share my words
To my roommate and to my best friend, thank you guys for supporting me and constantly forcing me to take that step and get out of my comfort zone. Thank you for always pushing me to be a better person. Thank you for helping me to find my voice.
To whoever is reading this, I want to encourage you to step out of your comfort zone: take that leap of faith and go for it. You never know what could happen. You might even conquer a fear.
