I am a shy person, meaning that I really don't like to be the center of attention, and I especially don't like to be doing something that "puts me out there" in front of a huge crowd.
But, on March 23, people saw a "new" me. I wasn't the shy person I always usually am. I decided to put myself out there and faced my fears.
On March 23, I gave my very first TEDx talk at my school in front of a huge crowd. It was absolutely terrifying for me, especially considering how shy I am. But, even with all the anxiousness, I somehow managed to walk up on stage and face my biggest fear of all.
I've been a part of so many dance performances ever since I was four years old. So you'd think that I would have no stage fright. But for some reason, giving a speech in front of a crowd scared the life out of me. The thought of messing up or stuttering and not knowing what to say was always in the back of my head, hiding. But as soon as I hit the stage, something hit me and it hit me hard.
Why should it matter if I mess up? I'm doing this for myself. I'm facing my fears. So why does it matter if someone sees me messing up? I'm not doing it for them. I'm doing it for ME.
Now this time, the thought of me messing up wasn't the thing that was in the back of my head. I went up there on stage and I said my speech for me. I said it loud and proud and faced my fears. After what felt like seconds, the words "Thank you" flowed out of my mouth. And that was when I heard the crowd applauding and smile found my face.
Facing your fears can take a lot of courage. But, if you surround yourself with the right people and work hard, anyone can do it. That smile of satisfaction at the very end is what you earn when you face your fears. So own that smile and be proud of yourself.