All of us have faced something scary in our lives, whether it’s taking a big test, spiders or public speaking. Do you run head-first towards your fears, or do you shy away from them?
I was terrified of public speaking. So, when I first heard about how contestants for the Miss Temple City Ambassador Pageant had to perform in front of over 20 people, I immediately dismissed the thought of trying out. However, I realized that my fears would never go away unless I did something about it. So, I decided to give it my best shot and try out.
I’ll be completely honest: in the beginning, I dreaded going to practices every Thursday night, with the pageant day looming over our heads. However, as the five months flew by, I found myself laughing so hard during practices that my stomach hurt.
Before I knew it, the pageant day had come. The change in me had happened without me knowing: along the way, I became confident with public speaking, found a group of amazing, funny and supportive friends and developed a strong passion for helping the community. The pageant day didn’t scare me as much anymore, because I had already grown and experienced so much along the journey.
If I hadn’t taken that leap out of my comfort zone, I would’ve missed out on countless experiences and memories. My mom once said to me, “courage is taking action despite fear.” So go and step out of your comfort zone and act on what you know is right, even if you’re scared to do so. Maybe it’s sitting with someone who is alone at lunch, or maybe it’s trying out for that sports team. Who knows? Maybe you’ll make a lifelong friend, discover new passions or grow to be a better version of yourself.
TCHS School Newspaper