Top 3 Ways to Grow

Most of us consider ourselves to be shy.  Well, I was very shy growing up but when I started 7th grade, I knew that would have to change.  I tried to be more outgoing and talkative.  I definitely feel like a changed my personality completely. It wasn't until college that I had to face my greatest fear: public speaking. Public speaking is a VERY common fear. However, with practice, one can overcome anxiety of speaking in front of people. I swore I would never speak in front of people and God was probably laughing. So I have included the Top 3 Ways to overcome any obstacle and grow as a person. This can be applied to any fear or just personal development.

 Fun Fact:

A fear of public speaking is considered the number one fear among societies population. It is also considered to be a social anxiety disorder where individuals suffer from performance anxiety. The medical term referring to the fear of public speaking is called “glossophobia.”

1. READ.
There is a lot out there in book form. Any subject you can think of, there is probably at least 2 books on it. Self-help books are my favorite because they help with conflict resolution, self-acceptance, and they are a constant support system. You have a problem with anxiety, there are books on that. You have a problem with being organized, there's a book on that too.

2. Surround yourself intelligent people.
With who you surround yourself with, you become.  This is a well known idea.  That quote that says "You are the average of the 5 people you surround yourself with" is pretty accurate in my life.  The more negative people I have in my life, the more negative my thoughts and words become. And same goes for when we surround ourselves with positive people. For personal growth, we need to surround ourself with smart individuals instead of idiots.  My pastor once said that you shouldn't listen to your best friend's marriage advice is they have been divorced twice.

3. Get out of the comfort zone.
This is a big one that I neglected for a while.  We don't like being uncomfortable, period.  However, that is the best way to see growth.  The uncomfortable feeling won't last forever, so you just have to get through it.

So that fear of public speaking that I had my whole life... is it still there? Why, yes. But has it diminished significantly? YES. I have put myself in so many situations that I felt so uncomfortable in, but I did grow each time. This last weekend, my sister had her wedding reception and of course, as the maid of honor, I had to give a speech. I wanted it to stand out, but I couldn't think of anything that was original to say. So I decided to do, what I call a "speech song".  I had a great time writing it and practicing it.  Even though I had it memorized enough that it was getting into my subconscious, I still messed up. But I wasn't embarrassed because I did it. I made it up there and faced a great fear of mine. Growth at its finest.

 So I encourage everyone to get out of their comfort zone and try something new.

Duro Wedding - Closer