I think it's imperative to put yourself out there. To go and do something that you're uncomfortable with, and do something out of the ordinary. Maybe that's striking up a conversation with a stranger, perhaps it's putting your music out there and singing it on stage, perhaps it is crossing something off of your bucket list, or maybe it's just something that you've always wanted to do like getting a degree. Doing these things that make you uncomfortable and feel out of place allows and gives you an opportunity to grow the fastest and develop a stronger sense of identity. Now I know that sounds like some cliché line that I got out of a book, but it isn't. We genuinely do grow the fastest when we are put in uncomfortable situations or asked to do things that are out of our comfort zone, like giving a speech in front of many people or performing a task in front of many people. However, during these experiences you learn that you are capable of doing more than you ever thought, allowing us to become who we are by gaining an identity, to grow, to be proud of doing something that once was believed to be impossible. This allows us to not only live our best life, but be thrilled for the opportunities we are given, and most importantly, be happy for the life we were given. You see, doing some of the things that I listed above (or did not list) are events, ideas, people, and things that make your hands tremble and shake, make your palms sweaty, make you breathe a little quicker, and you do not know how to act, and the butterflies in your stomach won't settle down, all indicate something. It's those events and acts that make you uncomfortable that is preparing you for something that is going to be a great opportunity that you can't let slide by because of fear and feeling uncomfortable.

From personal experiences, I have done many things that make me feel uncomfortable that has made me grow into a stronger and more developed woman. For one, I have stood up for my beliefs and myself when the room is hushed, and some people are thinking about what they are going to say or oppose. I have been in many uncomfortable situations where men don't get the hint to stop talking to me and leave me alone when I am walking down the street, getting coffee at Starbucks, or just running some errands around the town. These encounters are something that I should not have to deal with, but they are something that I do have to experience from time to time. These experiences and how these men act towards me and what they say and how I handle the situation even though I am uncomfortable makes me a stronger and intuitive person by being able to move on and stand up for myself. Lastly putting my writing on this platform made me very anxious, uneasy, and uncomfortable because even though I am a social person, I don't like to share my writing with people. However, I knew this experience was an opportunity for me to grow as an individual and look at where I am now.

No matter what your uncomfortable experiences are, you never truly are alone in these events or crisis', but you need to remember that all these things that give you shaky hands, make your heart skip a beat, and you don't know what to do it are moments that contribute to developing a stronger character and human that is going to do great things.